Foundation Church Belfast

Elders and Gospel Advance

A church without elders is incomplete, unhealthy, vulnerable. This is according to the Apostle Paul, who sought to appoint elders to lead and care for the churches.
 
In this message, we examine Paul's passionate message to the elders of the church in Ephesus as he concludes his third missionary journey.
 
Taking himself as an example, Paul teaches:
Who elders are;
What elders are like;
What elders should do
 
As we move towards eldership elections at Foundation Church Belfast, this is a timely message for those in spiritual leadership or who feel called to it in the future.
 
MAIN TEXT
Acts 20:17-38
 
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.

Jesus: I will give you rest

Sermon from Marc Scheibe.
 
MAIN TEXT
Matthew 11:1-30
 
SPEAKER
Marc Scheibe
 
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.

Why We Are Obsessed With the Gospel

At Foundation Church Belfast we have a laser-like focus on the gospel of Jesus - the good news about what he has achieved on our behalf, and how we receive it by faith in him alone.
 
During his third missionary journey, Paul encounters so-called believers in the city of Ephesus. Something was awry with them. It turned out that they were believers in John the Baptist only; they had not heard the full gospel about Jesus.
 
This message challenges us that it is possible to be sincere and very religious, but yet not receive the salvation that Jesus offers. This is a problem as it creates a false sense of security that we are right before God.
 
The message ends with a call to trust in Jesus, to believe his word and experience his power.
 
MAIN TEXT
Acts 19:1-20
 
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.

Engaging a Non-Christian Culture

We are heavily influenced by the culture we live in. We often don't realise how much we are shaped by our culture; how it shapes our values, aspirations, search for meaning.
 
As the church, we must be aware of the dominant culture around us, so that we may understand and articulate the Christian gospel to people in ways they can comprehend.
 
We see the Apostle Paul doing just that as he surveyed the great city of Athens during his second missionary journey.
 
Paul provides us with a clear framework for assessing and engaging with the dominant culture around us, whether in our own city, or further afield as we seek to advance the gospel of Jesus into a diverse world.
 
MAIN TEXT
Acts 17:16-35
 
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 Ways the Gospel Comes to People

The gospel message is the same for all people - the message of God's saving work through Jesus. But the way the gospel comes to a person can vary widely.
 
In this bible text we see the gospel taking root in three diverse people: a successful businesswoman, a military veteran-turned security contractor, and a demonically oppressed slave girl.
 
Each of these people needed the life-giving power of Jesus; yet how they received it depended on their circumstances.
 
We see in this sermon that there is no one-size-fits-all approach to the coming of the gospel. As a church, a community on mission, we must be aware of how the gospel comes, and be willing to minister the gospel to people as we find them.
 
Plus there is hope - if you feel like an outsider, a non-religious type, but find yourself hungering after more - Jesus meets you where you are and draws you to himself.
 
MAIN TEXT
Acts 16:11-34
 
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.

Dealing with Discouragement

As the gospel advances there will be setbacks. If we are to be used by God to advance the gospel through planting and strengthening churches, we must be ready to deal with discouragement.
 
Paul's second missionary journey begun under a cloud of discouragement. John Mark was a young leader who had previously deserted the apostolic team, leaving it at a critical moment and imperilling the mission. Barnabas and Paul were divided about whether to bring John Mark back on to the team.
 
Furthermore, Paul and his new team had severe difficulties entering new ground with the gospel. Twice the Holy Spirit prevented them from going into new regions.
 
Discouragement comes with gospel advance. This sermon looks at the source of our discouragements and lifts our gaze to see God sovereignly working out his grand plans. Only when we understand what he is doing are we then able to handle discouragement and move through it with faith.
 
MAIN TEXT
Acts 15:36-16:10
 
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.

Jesus + Nothing = Everything

The gospel of Jesus had been making huge strides in its forward momentum.
 
But the brakes are jammed on as the church hits a theological controversy - What is the nature of the gospel? In other words, how is someone actually saved?
 
A group of Jewish Christians taught that outsiders had to accept Jewish religion first, in order to avail of salvation in Jesus. It may have sounded plausible, but this was a direct assault on the graciousness of the gospel - a person is saved by faith alone in Christ alone by grace alone.
 
Far from being a first-century AD problem, the same blockage to our understanding of the gospel plagues the contemporary churches. Even as evangelicals, we may unwittingly place barriers in front of people - hoops to jump through - before they come to Christ for salvation.
 
Hear why this is and how we may avoid these errors in this sermon.
 
MAIN TEXT
Acts 15:1-21
 
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.

Overcoming Spiritual Darkness

We address the reality of spiritual evil in this sermon. It always seeks to obstruct the advance of the gospel.
 
In this episode, a magician of considerable spiritual power, tries to stop a key local civic leader from believing the gospel message of Jesus.
 
However, the power and purity of God's Holy Spirit is displayed for all to see, as the magician is humiliated in front of them all.
 
Today, the same pure and powerful Spirit is available to us, through faith in Jesus. No spiritual darkness that we may experience is a match for God's Spirit. God can free the most spiritually oppressed person to receive his life-giving presence.
 
MAIN TEXT
Acts 13:1-12
 
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.