As we start 2016, let’s put off unhealthy habits and start new healthy ones: habits that position us to take hold of God’s good, pleasing and perfect will for our lives this year. Let’s not conform but be transformed!
There’s a dangerous gap that many Christians find themselves caught in: the gap between knowing and doing. Authentic faith requires practical obedience: show me what you do and I’ll show you what you really believe. Ultimately each Christian will stand before the Judgement Seat of Christ to give account for their actions on this earth; wisdom would suggest we think and plan ahead now. This is the last message in The Core series and includes a rallying call to put each of the last 16 sermons into practice.
Economically, socially and culturally the wise men and the shepherds were total opposites. Their response to the birth of Christ, however, was a shared one: worship. They stand in stark contrast to the religious professionals whom Herod summoned. This latter group is the focus of this sermon: it is possible to know a lot – to be so close to salvation – and still to miss the Christmas message entirely.
This Christmas millions of gifts will be opened. Some won’t fit, some will be the wrong colour, some won’t be what was hoped for, some will need to be returned or exchanged. But there’s one gift that will never wear out or need replacing, a gift that – regardless of culture, age or gender – meets everyone’s deepest need. This message is about the indescribable gift we have been given in Christ Jesus .
Being saved does not mean playing it safe. In our increasingly risk-averse culture, we do well to remember that anyone who ever accomplished anything great for God took risks. The life of faith begins by jumping out of the boat – risky, yes, but that’s exactly the place where Jesus is! This message explodes the myth of safety and will inspire you to rise above the fear of failure and attempt great things for God.
What does it look like to live out radical hospitality? This sermon is packed full of biblical insight and practical guidance as to how we can be a community who opens our hearts, homes and tables to others. Let’s reclaim the expectation of an encounter with the living God through our practice of hospitality.
Some churches claim to be more Word-centred and others more Spirit-centred but the choice between study of the Word and pursuit of the Spirit is simply a false dilemma. The only option is “both/and”, not “either/or”. Ultimately theology cannot be avoided; it’s never a question of theology or no theology but good theology or bad theology. This message is a call to be Spirit-filled theologians – a Pentecostal people anchored in the Word and immersed in the life of the Spirit.
Many believers, sometimes out of ignorance and sometimes because of poor choices, don’t live in what’s available to them. But Jesus didn’t die so we would live powerless and pitiful lives. In this sermon, Pastor Dominic unpacks biblical principles to equip you to walk out in the supernatural power of God.
God wants our eyes open and hearts broken. This sermon – a call to justice – inspires us to be a church that is committed to transforming what is broken in our world.
This sermon reminds us that true spiritual authority is found more in a towel than a title. Pastor Dominic exhorts us from Scripture to be a church of contributors not consumers, participators not spectators – where 100% of the people do 100% of the work.
Church is not a building we go to, church is not a social club we opt in and out of, church is not a concert for us to be entertained. Church is the body of Christ, family who love each other, who are real with each other, who are united around Jesus, growing in our walk with God. Pastor Catherine reminds us that there is no such thing as solo Christianity – we need one another!
Stewardship is one of the greatest themes of the Bible. The sooner we surrender ownership and take on faithful stewardship the happier we will be. This sermon, which appeals to our attitude to money as the case study, will challenge you to think about what you’ve been doing with what you’ve been given and to live in such a way that Jesus really is the Lord of your life.
Revival has more to do with us than we think. And miracles, signs and wonders are not the exception but the norm. In this message, Pastor Dominic unpacks biblical teaching about bringing the kingdom of heaven to every sphere of our world.
Prayer must be our first resort, not our last resort. This sermon encourages us to be a church that is fuelled by prayer and will open your eyes to the necessity of, and power of, prayer.
True joy, value and fulfilment is found in discovering God’s vision for your life. This sermon will anchor you in God’s purposes for your life and encourage you to live life like you mean it.
The church is not a pleasure boat for entertaining church members but a lifeboat for saving sinners. This sermon reminds us of God’s heart for us to be an outward-orientated people who live beyond ourselves.
So often we allow earth-bound, naturalistic thinking to inform how we live our lives; this sermon reminds us that to live effectively on this earth we must have the perspective of eternity.
God doesn’t want us to be just “Sunday Christians” but to integrate our faith in Christ into every sphere of life. Over and against the so-called sacred-secular divide, this sermon reminds us that true Christianity is a worldview that should inform every area of our existence.
The apostle Peter walked in such a zone of glory that even his shadow became a powerful instrument of healing. Every Spirit-filled Christian has the potential to cast a far-reaching spiritual shadow too.
On this his first official Sunday as Senior Leader, Pastor Dominic exhorts us to be so filled with God that His presence overflows from us and we cast a healing shadow over every person and environment that we come into contact with.
On the occasion of the induction of our new senior leaders Dominic & Catherine De Souza, this is a message from John Glass, General Superintendent of Elim. The night also marked the official transition of the church into the Elim network.