Foundation Church Belfast

God is Love

Message by Tim Purdue at Foundation Church Belfast.

What Jesus Thinks About Religion

Religion is a dangerous concept. We know this to be painfully true in Northern Ireland, a land where generations of conflict has had an overtly religious tone.
In this passage we see Jesus taking on the hypocritical, organised, formal religion of his day. Yet from the other side of the tracks we see the beauty of religion being displayed as a religious outsider discovers the fundamental point of faith.
Main Text
Mark 7:1-30
Speaker
David Varney, pastor Foundation Church Belfast

Jesus and the Divine Presence

By miraculously walking on water, Jesus revealed his divine presence to the Apostles. Yet their reaction was not a worshipful joy and humility; rather it was panic and terror.
Their reaction revealed their functional understanding of Jesus on a profound level. Whilst they heard his teaching and saw his miracles, they did not possess the spiritual and psychological framework for understanding what was right in front of them – Jesus is both human and God.
Yet for us the divine presence of Jesus is still available. In fact God promises to meet us in ordinary and extraordinary circumstances: through the Word of God, the sacraments and the prayers; but also through visions, dreams and prophetic insights.
As a church we are called to gladly receive all these gifts as God intends to demonstrate his presence to us, joining his Holy Spirit to these ordinary and extraordinary means.
Main Text
Mark 6:45-52
Sermon By
David Varney, pastor Foundation Church Belfast
Check out these related sermons by David Varney from our Prayer series:
Prayer: Invitation
Prayer: Approach
Prayer: Praxis

Real Satisfaction in Jesus

Main Text
Mark 6:30-44
Sermon By
David Varney, pastor Foundation Church Belfast

The Lord’s Prayer

Teaching from Chris McKinven, one of the eldership team at The Way Church Ballyclare.
Main Text
Luke 11:1-13

Whose Kingdom Are You Building?

King Herod liked to project himself as a strong and competent leader, but in reality he was anything but this. He wanted to rule a magnificent kingdom of his own making, but his desire for power ended up controlling him.
In this episode we see a weak individual being manipulated by powerful forces acting on him: family, romance, sex, and approval.
These same forces are still prevalent in our own experience and they play a significant role in how we acquire and use power.
We can either use these as gifts to build God’s kingdom, or we can use them to build our own. One way we utilise these gifts will free us to become radically generous as we create something significant and enduring outside of ourselves. The other utilisation will end up enslaving us and controlling us as Herod found out.
Main Bible Text
Mark 6:14-29
Speaker
David Varney, pastor Foundation Church Belfast.
Check out the following related resources:
Article: Our Vision at Foundation Church Belfast
Sermon: Planting and Strengthening Churches

Why People Reject Jesus

Message by Jamie Bambrick, part of our teaching series at Foundation Church: The Gospel According to Mark
Main Text
Mark 6:1-13

Faith and the Healing Power of Jesus

In this episode from Mark’s Gospel we see the effects of faith in the healing power of Jesus.
He ministers to a diversity of people, yet always from his heart of compassion and love to restore them to wholeness.
Jesus is among us by his Holy Spirit and so continues his healing work through the church, his body on earth.
Main Bible Text
Mark 5:21-43
Preacher
David Varney, pastor Foundation Church Belfast