If you want a good example of unswerving loyalty, persistence and service in the Old Testament then look no further than that offered by Benaiah to his king. Throughout David's reign, Benaiah remained steadfastly loyal, a quality the king clearly recognised when he put him in charge of his bodyguards. Even after David's death, Benaiah's loyalty continued to be rewarded when Solomon ascended the throne and made him commander of all the army. There's so much we can learn from this example of loyalty and persistence; here Steve Gibbons describes the many traits attributed to and evidenced by this little known titan of Israel.
Read MorePreaches
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.
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Ephron the Hittite
Ephron the who, I hear you ask? Well, this week we're starting a new series of talks on some of the Biblical characters who - either wittingly or unwittingly - were instrumental in helping to build the Kingdom of God. Some of us might well think that the more obscure people named within the Bible were just that - obscure people; but if that's the case, why are they named? Were their actions more important than we give them credit? Beginning with Ephron the Hittite, Pete Bond explains exactly how he can teach us to be "Recognising and Blessing the Work of God".
Read MoreMaking Church a Place where Everyone Contributes
The Bible is very clear on one aspect of Christian life - we are not designed to be a passenger. We all have our part to play. God gave each one of us different talents, gifts or passions and it's up to us to use them how he intends. If everyone contributes, then the whole church benefits (see 1 Corinthians 12). We're all different for a reason! Using 1 Peter 2 as the foundation for his talk, Andy Sparkes tells us why, if we want our church to be seen as being part of the body of Christ, we all need to contribute as the Living Stones God made us to be.
The second recording is of words and encouragement given by members of GCC following the Sunday talk.
Read MoreMaking Church a Place where Everyone Belongs
We humans all possess the basic need to belong to something; belonging to a church generally fulfils that need in a Christian. But what is it that attracts us to a particular church? Is it the people, place or activities? How can we 'make' a church where everyone feels valued, welcomed and loved? Only when Jesus is at the centre of all we do - He who met with and cared about all sorts of people from different backgrounds and walks of life. Ted Winter tells us how we can be a church where everyone feels they belong. NB: Audio quality is not up to usual standard but please bear with the talk.
Read MoreA Safe Place
We believe that Gillingham Community Church is a place where people can feel both welcome and safe, a place where no-one is judged and everyone is accepted. But surely we are all damaged people, and as God's ways are not our ways, who makes this possible? Only Jesus, our refuge, our rock - it's on Him alone we must rely. There are many scriptural verses promoting Jesus as our safe place and in this talk Steve Gibbons runs through several of them to help explain why it is necessary for GCC to be a safe place so that we might all Belong, Believe and Be changed.
Read MoreThe Power of Community
Community is a powerful thing. In a Christian context, community may be defined as being a group of people pursuing a common purpose, bonded by intentional relationships, engaged in authentic communication with one another, empowered by the Holy Spirit and the Word. Yet unity in this sense can also be fragile. In this unmissable talk, Steve Chupp explains how we can avoid the sources of this fragility (disagreement, gossip, disrespect, etc.) through healthy communication with each other and - most importantly - God. As Steve says, let's hold on to what we've got so that Gillingham Community Church can continue to serve each other - and those around us.
Read MoreGCC Weekend Away - Thrive
The GCC Weekend Away (Friday 28th April to Monday 1st May 2017) was entitle "Thrive" and we were blessed to have Steve Chupp, from Goshen Indiana, with us for the weekend and being the main speaker for the weekend.
Enjoy!
Vision & Aims: Justice and Mercy
God really cares about the way in which we live out our lives. He wants us to be the hands and feet of Jesus in our community. But do we actively stand for justice and mercy? Do our hearts break for what breaks God’s heart? He has called us for a time such as this, to 'act justly, love mercy and walk humbly' with Him (Micah 6:8). In this passionate talk, Andy Sparkes exhorts us to stand for justice and mercy, providing some practical ways in which we might do so.
Read MoreVision & Aims: Who are we and where are we going?
The Bible tells us that it was the action of just one woman in Old Testament times that prevented the destruction of the Jews. Queen Esther was in the right place, at the right time.....for such a time as this. She recognised who she was, what she had to do and that no-one else could do it. Have you ever considered that we are where we are 'for such a time as this'? First we have to know who we are in Christ - as individuals and as part of GCC - and then aim towards the goal (prize) that God has set in place. Wouldn't it be wonderful to hear the words 'well done, good and faithful servant' when we attain it? Two talks for the price of one this week - first Pete Bond tells us how we can be sure of who we are and then Steve Gibbons speaks on where we should be going and how to be sure we're on the right path.
Read MoreVision & Aims: United in Pupose and Direction
A church divided by argument, gossip or dissent is at best disunited and at worst demonstrates to others a warped example of Christianity. Yet without love, without respect and without the Holy Spirit's direction, that is precisely what we would be in danger of becoming. So we need to remain in God's word to continually learn how to be a church in touch with His desire for us. The three verses of Psalm 133 reveal the result of God's people living together in unity - and as Pete Bond here tells us, they remain just as relevant for us today as they were for Israel in Old Testament times.
Read MoreHe Chose You
Paul tells us in Romans 8 that it was God who chose us to be His sons and daughters in His kingdom. With this comes a great responsibility because as His heirs, we are called to be where we are right now, serving those around us. Using his tried and trusted theory of 'throughflowology'(!) Tim Bond explains from Romans 8 vs 15-17 exactly what it means to be a chosen son or daughter of God.
Read MoreVision & Aims: Making Space for the Holy Spirit
We want to be a church where the Holy Spirit has freedom to operate. But what exactly do we mean by this aim and how might we go about achieving it? There's a wealth of information out there - for example, much has been written about the gifts of the Spirit, lots of it good but also some decidedly questionable - but unless they're used as God intends, these wonderful gifts tend to be self-centred and certainly not for the benefit of the church. Roger Snowdon seeks to bring us back to what God's word says about his Holy Spirit, to teach us how we can make space for Him to operate effectively. So pray, read your Bible, meet with other Christians - don't be mystical.....stay real!
Read MoreVision & Aims: Making Jesus the Centre
If we want to be effective disciples for Jesus then we HAVE to put Him at the centre of all that we are and all that we do. But he can only live (abide) in us if we allow Him to. How? Although God is not asking us to do something unattainable, it does need commitment on our part. We must seek Him. Ted Winter explains what it means to put Jesus at the centre of our lives and how, by allowing Him more space, time and commitment, we can properly reflect Him to those around us - both as individuals and as a church.
Read MoreVision & Aims: Disciples for His Kingdom
One of the final acts of Jesus' ministry, post-resurrection, was to tell his close followers what he expected of them ; '....go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit' (Matthew 28 v19) . That's for us too, as modern-day followers of Jesus. His command is not optional! But He does go on to reassure us that '....I am with you always, even to the end of the age.' So, with this promise in mind, we can be confident He will give us opportunities and words to speak - whatever our circumstances at the time. In this talk about discipleship, Trevor Bond tells us just how effective we could be when we obey Jesus' command, potentially influencing many people through even just one simple interaction. Think multiplication factor!
Read MoreVision & Aims: Bible Based Community
Jesus regularly alluded to Old Testament writings in His teachings and parables. That's how crucial and relevant God's word was then and still is now. Here at Gillingham Community Church, our desire is to be a Bible based community and in so being, to have Jesus at the centre of all that we do. But how do we know whether or not we're doing what He requires of us? Answer - through prayer and by regularly reading and referring to the Bible. But how can we be sure it's true? And can we still trust a book that was written hundreds of years ago? Here's Andy Sparkes reassuring us that the Bible is not only true, but also crucial to our growth and understanding as a church. I suppose one could comment that whilst His word thankfully lacks in nonversation, its steadfastness, wisdom and beauty are just ineffable in our post-truth world...listen on!
Read MoreVision & Aims: Spirit Led Community
Who or what is the Holy Spirit? Well, He is the constant companion whom Jesus promised would take care of us when He left to return to the Father. He is our advocate, the one who stands with us and speaks up for us. Paul writes, in Romans 8 v14, that '...all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God'. So, as Pete Bond explains in this talk, if we want to be open and alive as a church to what God's Holy Spirit requires of us - and to where He is leading us - we need first to allow Him into every area of our lives.
Read MoreVision & Aims: A Healthy, Growing Church
Paul certainly had plenty to say to the churches he and his co-workers established in the early days of Christianity. Have you ever wondered what Paul might have written about Gillingham Community Church, had he ever had cause to visit? Hopefully something similar to the gushing praise he gave to the Philippian Christians! Healthy, growing churches don't just happen; each of us has his or her part to play, particularly in the way we interact with each other. Steve Gibbons here refers to Paul's letters to explain how we might achieve the aspiration contained within GCC's vision statement, 'to be a healthy, growing church'. How does one pronounce Euodia and Syntyche, Steve?! NB: the recording is incomplete and sadly does not include the last part of Steve's talk
Read MoreVision & Aims: Making Jesus Known
We've reached the final aspiration of the GCC vision statement - 'to...meet Jesus, know Jesus and make Him known'. When we know Jesus, we want to share Him with others, but it's not something any of us finds particularly easy. After all, we're not all called to be evangelists! But it s hat God expects of us. Andy Sparkes examines what it means to 'make Jesus known', both as an individual and as part of Gillingham Community Church. So if you'd like to share God's love as a member of GCC, listen on for several opportunities!
Read MoreVision & Aims: Knowing Jesus
It's vital that, if we want to be effective, spirit-filled Christians, we know Jesus. Really now esus as Lord and Saviour. It's only when we truly know Him that can we can exercise God-given discernment, or start to exercise spiritual gifts. Just look what happened to the seven sons of Sceva, whose efforts at casting out demons serve as a clear warning to us of our human limitations - Paul describes them in Acts 19 as operating in the knowledge of Jesus' reputation rather than His authoritative power. In his talk Steve Gibbons uses several bible texts to demonstrate how Jesus teaches us to know Him better.
Read MoreVision & Aims: Meeting Jesus
'To be a healthy, growing church where people can meet Jesus, know him and make him known.' That's the overarching vision we believe God has given us for Gillingham Community Church. Supporting the vision are seven specific aims and anything we do as a church that falls outside of these aims....well, we really shouldn't be doing it. The first and most important of these aims is 'Jesus is the centre of all that we are and do'. So we need to help people, through what we do as a church, to meet with Jesus. Pete Bond expands on this aspect of the vision, using as his starting point the call of the disciples found in John 1 vs 35-51. And once you've listened to Pete's talk, how about revisiting the GCC website and reviewing the values we looked at last year?
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