Foundation Church Belfast

We Plant and Strengthen Churches

In the newly-formed church in Antioch, we see a gifted team being assembled by the Holy Spirit that plants and strengthens the church.
 
Unnamed evangelists bring the good news to Antioch; Barnabas brings apostolic exhortation and encouragement; Saul brings top class teaching for the new believers; Agabus adds prophetic fire power.
 
Yet the church didn't exist on its own. It was strengthened by the Jerusalem church, and in turn, strengthened the Jerusalem church by sending financial aid.
 
In this dynamic planting and strengthening, we see a model of how churches are to be today - with the same gospel and the same Holy Spirit, we are led to pray, 'Do it again Lord.'
 
MAIN TEXT
Acts 11:19-30
 
SPEAKER
David Varney, Pastor Foundation Church Belfast
 
FOUNDATION CHURCH BELFAST
Every Sunday 10:30am - 2d Knockwood Crescent, Belfast, BT5 6GE
We are part of the Advance Movement of churches and the wider Newfrontiers family.

4 Vision-Shaping Values That Define Our Church

An officer of the Roman army converts to Christianity, signalling a paradigm shift in the advance of the gospel.
Why is it so significant? He and his family are the first Gentiles to be enveloped into the people of God called the church. The doors of the kingdom swung wide open so that outsiders can come in - all through shared faith in Christ.
In this narrative, we note four vision-shaping values that give definition to what we are doing at Foundation Church Belfast:
Boundary-Breaking
Gospel-Centred
Spirit-Empowered
Multiplying Community on Mission
 
MAIN TEXT
Acts 10:1-48
 
SPEAKER
David Varney, Pastor Foundation Church Belfast
 
FOUNDATION CHURCH BELFAST
Every Sunday 10:30am - 2d Knockwood Crescent, Belfast, BT5 6GE
We are part of the Advance Movement of churches and the wider Newfrontiers family.

Two Ways Jesus Advances the Church

How is it that someone so devoted to the destruction of Christianity can become one of it's greatest heroes?
 
In the account of the conversion of the Apostle Paul (aka Saul) we see how such radical transformation is possible.
 
But beyond Paul's amazing about-turn, there is a faithful, Spirit-empowered disciple called Ananias who is used to bring acceptance and healing to Paul.
 
Today, Jesus still uses these two means to grow his church - radical transformation and Spirit-empowerment. Listen to how he does this:
 
MAIN TEXT
Acts 9:1-22
 
SPEAKER
David Varney, Pastor Foundation Church Belfast
 
FOUNDATION CHURCH BELFAST
Every Sunday 10:30am - 2d Knockwood Crescent, Belfast, BT5 6GE
We are part of the Advance Movement of churches and the wider Newfrontiers family.

3 Life-Changing Headlines from the Resurrection

3 Life-Changing Headlines from the Resurrection - An Easter Sunday sermon.
MAIN TEXT
Mark 16:1-8
 
SPEAKER
David Varney, Pastor Foundation Church Belfast
 
FOUNDATION CHURCH BELFAST
Every Sunday 10:30am - 2d Knockwood Crescent, Belfast, BT5 6GE
We are part of the Advance Movement of churches and the wider Newfrontiers family.

Kingdom Advance: Outsiders In & Insiders Out

The Kingdom of God advances by 
Outsiders Coming In
Insiders Going Out
Both are powerfully depicted by Philip's interaction with the Ethiopian Eunuch in Acts 8.
 
MAIN TEXT
Acts 8:26-40
 
SPEAKER
David Varney, Pastor Foundation Church Belfast
 
FOUNDATION CHURCH BELFAST
Every Sunday 10:30am - 2d Knockwood Crescent, Belfast, BT5 6GE
We are part of the Advance Movement of churches and the wider Newfrontiers family.

Community on Mission: Radically Inclusive & Necessarily Exclusive

The gospel advances to all the 'wrong' places. Here we see the hated neighbours - the Samaritans - believing the message about Jesus in their hundreds.
 
Curiously, the Holy Spirit appears to be withheld from these new believers until the Apostles from Jerusalem arrive.
 
If this were not strange enough, interlaced with this account of the conversion of the Samaritans is the magician called Simon. He thinks the power of the Holy Spirit can be bought with money.
 
In this sermon we see that the community on mission is:
Radically inclusive
Necessarily exclusive
 
Through his Word, God grows our vision for bringing the gospel to the 'despised Samaritans' of our own city of Belfast and beyond.
 
MAIN TEXT
Acts 8:4-25
 
SPEAKER
David Varney, Pastor Foundation Church Belfast
 
FOUNDATION CHURCH BELFAST
Every Sunday 10:30am - 2d Knockwood Crescent, Belfast, BT5 6GE
We are part of the Advance Movement of churches and the wider Newfrontiers family.

Spirit-Empowered People

One of the most gifted leaders of the early church was cut off in his prime. Stephen was a man full of the Holy Spirit and was highly effective in the church.
 
But he was the object of sustained opposition from people who hated the message of Jesus. They went to extreme lengths to shut Stephen down - resorting to mob violence and ultimately murder.
 
A Spirit-Empowered person is able to not only advance the gospel, but stand up to opposition. Even in huge trials and impending death itself (whatever the cause), Spirit-Empowered people will demonstrate Jesus to the end.
 
MAIN TEXT
Acts 6:8-7:60
 
SPEAKER
David Varney, Pastor Foundation Church Belfast
 
FOUNDATION CHURCH BELFAST
Every Sunday 10:30am - 2d Knockwood Crescent, Belfast, BT5 6GE
We are part of the Advance Movement of churches and the wider Newfrontiers family.

United with Christ - Baptism Sunday

Message from baptism Sunday showing how:
Baptism connects us with the past
Baptism orientates us with the future
Baptism gives hope for the present
 
MAIN TEXT
Romans 6:1-11
 
SPEAKER
David Varney, Pastor Foundation Church Belfast
 
FOUNDATION CHURCH BELFAST
Every Sunday 10:30am - 2d Knockwood Crescent, Belfast, BT5 6GE
We are part of the Advance Movement of churches and the wider Newfrontiers family.