All Talks

Prayer is more than just something we do, it’s what forms our way of life with Jesus. In this five-week series, we’re unpacking how Jesus taught his disciples to pray in Matthew 6, known as ‘The Lord’s Prayer’. This week at our Sutton service, Joy Tilsley looked at Jesus’ teaching to pray against temptation and evil in our daily lives.

Prayer is more than just something we do, it’s what forms our way of life with Jesus. In this five-week series, we’re unpacking how Jesus taught his disciples to pray in Matthew 6, known as ‘The Lord’s Prayer’. This week at our Mile End service, Kenny looked at Jesus’ teaching to pray against temptation and evil in our daily lives.

Prayer is more than just something we do, it’s what forms our way of life with Jesus. In this five-week series, we’re unpacking how Jesus taught his disciples to pray in Matthew 6, known as ‘The Lord’s Prayer’. This week, Fi (Central Service) looks at Jesus’ teaching to pray for God’s kingdom to come on earth as in heaven.

Prayer is more than just something we do, it’s what forms our way of life with Jesus. In this five-week series, we’re unpacking how Jesus taught his disciples to pray in Matthew 6, known as ‘The Lord’s Prayer’. This week at our Sutton service, Simon looked at Jesus’ teaching to pray for God’s daily provision in life.

Prayer is more than just something we do, it’s what forms our way of life with Jesus. In this five-week series, we’re unpacking how Jesus taught his disciples to pray in Matthew 6, known as ‘The Lord’s Prayer’. This week at Mile End, Andy looked at Jesus’ teaching to pray for forgiveness, and our radical need to both receive and extend forgiveness to others in order to live in light of God’s Kingdom.

Prayer is more than just something we do, it’s what forms our way of life with Jesus. In this five-week series, we’re unpacking how Jesus taught his disciples to pray in Matthew 6, known as ‘The Lord’s Prayer’. This week at Mile End, Jonny looked at Jesus’ teaching to pray for God’s kingdom to come on earth as in heaven.

We’re taking a few weeks as a church to focus on our three core values: Presence, Formation, and Mission. This week at our Central service, Nicole taught on our value of ‘Mission’ – looking at our spiritual mandate to be disciples who make disciples.

We’re taking a few weeks as a church to focus on our three core values: Presence, Formation, and Mission. This week, Catherine Ishola (Sutton Service) teaches on Presence as our foundational value. We look at Ephesians 6 and our call to a life of unceasing prayer, to contending for a move of God’s Spirit in our time. This requires moving from prayer as obligation to orientation toward Jesus, from relying on feelings to deepening friendship, and from merely consuming faith to actively contending in intercession for the church and the gospel’s advance.

This week, Adnan (Mile End Service) looks at our value of ‘Formation’ as a church. Teaching from both Ephesians 4 and John 21, we look at how our journey of change happens in the context of church community, with the goal of maturing into people of Christlike love, for the sake of others.

This week at our Central service, David Stroud taught on our invitation to be continually filled with the Holy Spirit. Just as Jesus needed the Spirit for his life and mission, his followers need this power to witness and worship.

This week at our Stockwell service, Andy looks at our value of ‘Formation’ with a teaching from Luke 13. We see how formation is slow and happens in the ‘manure’ — the messy, imperfect context of church community. Embracing this uncomfortable reality is a journey to the cross, the secret to finding resurrection power and achieving lasting transformation through the local church.

This week at our Mile End service, Lou taught on our value of ‘Mission’ based on 2 Timothy 1:3-14. We look at our call to embrace our mission as disciples by sharing the Gospel with confidence over fear. We see how Paul urges Timothy to ‘fan into flame the gift of God’, allowing the Spirit to provide power, love, and self-discipline. Sharing faith requires courage and obedience, taking the long view, and being fully dependent on God, not personal eloquence.

Eric and Erika Anderson and Jacques and Eby Corydon met with leaders from across our services, sharing more about what’s been happening in their lives and church in Copenhagen. Listen in to hear more about the importance of having a hunger for God’s presence, and how to steward the presence of God in our lives.

Concluding a nine-month series on Acts, this sermon calls the church to be "poured out for Christ, the lost, and the city." Drawing on the life of the Apostle Paul, the message emphasises that Jesus must be the starting point and goal. Paul's perseverance through suffering was fueled by his transformation and motivation by the crucified and risen Christ. The church is challenged to be a unified, holy, outward-facing community rooted in prayer and committed to mission, believing that the power seen in the early church can be experienced in London today.

The sermon concludes the book of Acts, arguing its abrupt ending is a commission for believers to continue spreading the gospel and seeking city renewal. It urges Christians to finish the race by embracing three principles from Paul's life: following the path of Jesus through rigorous spiritual disciplines (formation), trusting the unstoppable power of the Gospel (mission), and knowing the intimate presence of God (friendship) that brings strength and hope for the kingdom's renewal.

In a sermon based on Acts 28:30-31, the speaker, Ian, argues that the unhindered gospel flourishes through suffering and disappointment. He shares personal anecdotes, including his family’s move from the Philippines to London, to illustrate how God's presence and grace sustain believers. The message concludes by inviting the audience to continue the story of Acts, emphasizing that the gospel is a living mission that finds a way to spread through everyday life and the actions of ordinary people.

This sermon, inspired by the church in Antioch from Acts 11 and 13, teaches that the gospel flourishes through scattering and persecution. The speaker, who has worked with Turkish communities, highlights Turkey as one of the world's largest unreached people groups. The sermon emphasizes that the church must embrace diversity and be generous and responsive to those in need, as seen in the Antioch church's relief efforts during a famine. The ultimate challenge is to become a sending church, releasing its best people for global mission.

This sermon on Acts 11 and 13 examines the church in Antioch as a model for God's vision of a diverse and unified community. In a city deeply divided by ethnic and social barriers, early Christians, empowered by the Holy Spirit, broke down these walls to form a single, vibrant body. The speaker challenges the audience to participate in this mission by fostering awareness and relationships and committing to Jesus, the source of this unity.

Drawing from Acts 28, the sermon highlights three key takeaways from Paul's time on Malta: the importance of showing kindness to those who are "shipwrecked," the development of character and perseverance through life's snakes and trials, and the responsibility to bring hope to others. Paul's actions—gathering wood, shaking off a snake, and healing the sick—show how serving God's purpose involves getting hands-on, trusting God through adversity, and letting our transformed lives point people to Jesus.

In a sermon titled "Reflections on God's Closeness," Dan explains that God is not distant but is near and wants to be found. He outlines three core points: why we should seek God’s closeness (it’s available through Jesus, he is the greatest, and others need him), why we don’t always seek him (theological reasons, self-disqualification, and busyness), and what we can do to seek him (make time and space, engage deeply, and remember and testify).

Preaching from Acts 26:12-32, Philipa Long explains that living a life rooted in Jesus will inevitably conflict with the world's cultural standards. She explores how Paul's unwavering hope in God's promises allowed him to face repeated suffering and injustice. The sermon encourages us to remain steadfast in the face of hardship, choosing to trust God's promises over the lies of the world, and to find a deeper joy and a greater revelation of Jesus through our suffering.

Preaching from Acts 26:29, Lars reminds us that the quiet authority of Paul, even while in chains, comes from a deep inner peace and connection with God. He encourages Christians to pursue this authority by living with a childlike vulnerability, surrendering control, and giving their hearts to Jesus. This foundation allows God to work powerfully through us in our relationships and communities, silencing enemies and bringing freedom to others, because we are no longer defined by external circumstances or the opinions of others.

This week, Catherine Ishola (Sutton Service) teaches from the story of Paul’s sea voyage in Acts 27. We look at how facing and responding to trials are necessary to deepen our faith, put our faith into practice, and point others to Jesus as our ultimate hope.

This week, Lizzy Salway (Central Service) looks at how the story of the early church is a testament to the power of a changed life, with Jesus as the main character calling us to partner and proclaim God’s story of redemption through our own stories.

This week at our Central service, Philip Soo teaches from Acts 24:1-21 – detailing Paul’s trial before Governor Felix. We see how the resurrection is central to the gospel message, and how this hope should be the foundation of our faith. We explore how Paul was supernaturally transformed by the gospel, compelling him to share his faith with everyone, even his Roman oppressor.

Speaking from Matthew 14, Gill Cumberbatch looks at the story of Jesus walking on water. We explore how God keeps us afloat during life’s storms, and our need to rely on Jesus rather than on ourselves or unhelpful distractions.

In this sermon, Yuan (Central Service) teaches from Acts 21 – exploring why a Jewish mob violently attacked Paul in Jerusalem. The anger of the crowd stemmed from their fear that Paul’s message undermined their identity and hope, which were rooted in their law and temple. We see how we too can fall prey to this, by making idols of things like achievement and reputation. Instead, true fulfillment comes from shifting our focus from idols to the surpassing worth of Jesus.

This week in our Mile End service, James Ramsden teaches from the story of Paul’s arrest in Jerusalem (Acts 21:27-36). We see a contrast of responses to Paul’s message and faith – resulting in either renewal by receiving Jesus as the fulfilment of God’s law, or resistance by rejecting Jesus and seeking to be right with God through the law instead.

This week at our Stockwell service, Tunji teaches from the story of Paul’s arrest in Jerusalem (Acts 21:27-36). We look at how Paul’s experience of being falsely accused and beaten after his ministry trip can teach us to be steadfast in our faith. It challenges us to reckon with three questions: Will we count the cost, will we compromise, and will we choose faith over fear? 

This week at our Sutton service, Barry Clist teaches from John 10:1-18 – the story of Jesus as the Good Shepherd. We see how in a confusing world where we might feel insignificant, Jesus knows us and sees us as his own. This is our root for deep contentment, but also a call to be shepherds for others – guiding them to hear Jesus’s voice through ours, and to find abundant life in him.

This week, Sam teaches on the final chapter of Acts, focusing on the difference between belief with our head and trust with our heart. We explore our call as a church to cultivate trust through prayer, community, and scripture to experience deeper faith and life in Christ.

In this standalone talk, Ian Rushton (Sutton Service) teaches from Ephesians 2:10 - exploring the idea of identity and ‘who we are becoming’ as God’s masterpiece. We look at our societal hunger for meaning, and how true fulfillment of that longing comes from aligning with God’s purpose, not external achievements or false personas. 

This week at our Mile End service, we heard from guest preacher Luke Carson (London City Mission) teaching from 1 John 1:5-10. We explored God’s heart for both justice and hope. Luke has been engaged in prison ministry since 2010, and shares stories of how faith in Jesus is transforming lives of both those incarcerated and victims of injustice, as well as their families.

In this talk, Joel Wade (Central Service) preached for our dedication service, exploring Jesus’ childhood visit to the temple We looked at what the story teaches about prepariing children for adulthood, with the ultimate goal of raising children who long to be in their Heavenly Father’s house. We also reflect on what the passage means for our own pursuit of God’s presence, as people who are his treasured possessions – rooted in his love.

This week, Tom Williams (Stockwell Service) teaches from Acts 8:26-40, looking at the story of Philip and the Ethiopian Official. We look at how, like Philip, we can cultivate a relationship of listening to God in daily life, and trust that small acts of obedience can lead to vast change. We explore some daily practices that help us hear and discern what God is saying in the context of community.

In this talk, Helen Marasha preached in our Sutton service, exploring Paul’s time in the city of Corinth (Acts 18:1-17). We look at some key discipleship challenges faced by the church there, in a cultural atmosphere that was less hostile and more indifferent to their faith. We look at the challenge of living distinctively as followers of Jesus in a world of indifference or spiritual apathy.

This week, Shaninga (Stockwell Service) preached on Acts 17:16-34. We looked at Paul’s distress in idol-filled Athens, and how this story mirrors today’s pursuits of ambition and security. We see how Paul models a way we can have everyday conversations about faith, encouraged by the fact that God’s presence is never far from anyone, even in when he goes unseen and unknown.

This week, Yetty (Sutton Service) taught from Acts 12:1-17 – exploring our hope as a confident expectation rooted in God’s faithfulness, even when circumstances are bleak. Just as Peter slept in prison remembering God’s past acts, we too can trust God amid doubt and unmet expectations, as we recall his deliverance. 

This Pentecost Sunday, Aaron preached on the transformative power of the Holy Spirit, enabling believers to experience God’s presence at work in life. We see how the Spirit works to form us through disciplines like prayer and reading Scripture, which are crucial for walking by the Spirit. 

This week, Jo (Central Service) taught from Acts 16 – looking at Peter’s imprisonment in Philippi. We see how worship forms our faith, enables us to live counter-culturally, and brings witness of God’s power to others, as seen in the jailer’s salvation. 

This week Raph Arthur (Mile End Service) looked at the early church’s response to uncertainty through prayer, and its journey with both faith and doubt. We consider what they'd sacrifice and surrender for following Jesus, that ultimately led them to deeper freedom and hope.

Philippa Long teaches from Acts 10 – looking at the Holy Spirit’s outpouring on the Gentiles. By looking at Peter’s journey of embracing God’s inclusive plan for Gentiles, we too see our call to identify our own biases, and to trust in the transformative power of the gospel, even when it means choosing a path of perceived weakness.

This week John focused on Acts 8:26-40, looking at Philip and the Ethiopian Official. We see how the Ethiopian’s conversion demonstrates God’s comprehensive love, and encourages us to follow the Spirit’s promptings to share our faith confidently.

This week, Paige Evans (Central Service) preached on Peter’s encounter with Cornelius in Acts 10. We look at what the story of Cornelius' conversation highlights about God’s character, our prayers, and the invitation to partner with God in his offer of salvation for all people.

This week, Helen (Stockwell Service) looks at Peter’s miraculous release from prison in Acts 12. We look at the tension of how, in one hand, Peter gets miraculously released from jail through the power of prayer, and yet, in the same passage, we read of James’ death. Through it we can see how we’re called to align ourselves with God’s will through prayer, having confidence that he can bring both breakthrough and give us courage in the face of resistance.

In this talk Nicole focuses on Saul's dramatic conversion in Acts 9. The fierce persecutor encountered Jesus on the road to Damascus, leading to a radical transformation. This story powerfully illustrates God's extraordinary grace and use of unlikely individuals to fulfill his purposes, profoundly impacting the early church.

In this Christ Church London talk, Anna explores Saul's dramatic conversion. This encounter with the risen Jesus radically transformed him from persecutor to apostle, revealing God's plan to include all people. The sermon highlights that Jesus calls each of us to follow him and share the gospel, empowered by the Spirit, just as ordinary believers played a vital role in this pivotal transformation.

This week, Hannah Elwyn does a standalone talk for our Mile End service, teaching on the ‘Parable of the Hidden Treasure’ (Mtt 13:44-46). We reflect on how the worth of Jesus and his kingdom means there is no cost too great for us to give, so that we can receive his Presence above anything else in life.

This week, Sam Luck (Sutton Service) focuses on the conversion of Saul to Paul in Acts 9, highlighting how this transformative encounter with Jesus reoriented Saul’s lifelong devotion. 

This Easter Sunday, Jonny Elwyn (Stockwell Service) underscores the revolutionary truth of Christ’s resurrection – a historical moment that, if true, empowers us, and if false, means our faith is pointless and futile.