Episodes
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You Shall Not Murder — Why Every Life Matters
In this sermon Pastor David examines Exodus 20 and Matthew 5 to explore the sixth commandment: "You shall not murder." Jesus expands the command to include anger, insults, and the heart’s intentions. The sermon unpacks four responses to God-given life — taking, hating, saving, and honouring — and...
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Honour Your Parents: The Fifth Commandment for Family, Church, Nation
Some people have said, as go the family, so goes the church. And as goes the church, so goes the nation. This sermon unpacks Exodus 20:12 - the fifth commandment - exploring why God emphasizes honouring parents, how that honour looks across seasons of life (children, adults, elderly). We also...
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Making Sense of the Sabbath — A Practical Guide to Rest
In this sermon, Pastor David explains the fourth commandment by showing Sabbath as a gift of rest, a time to receive God’s blessings, and a reason to rejoice. It traces Sabbath from God’s creation-rest to Jesus’ invitation to enter true rest, and explains how Christians observe the Lord’s Day. We...
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Speaking God's Name: Why We Need Law, Gospel, and the Spirit
This sermon unpacks the third commandment, showing it is not just about avoiding crude oaths but about not misusing God’s name in vows, lies, false prophecy, or everyday speech. David explains how God’s personal name (Yahweh) calls for reverence and warns of the seriousness of blasphemy. Using...
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Don't Put God in a Box: Understanding the Second Commandment
In this sermon on Exodus 20:4–6, Matt explains the second commandment and warns against creating carved images or reshaping God to fit our preferences. Using Old Testament examples and the message of Christ’s grace, he urges believers to worship God as He has revealed Himself—through Scripture,...
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God First: The Surprising Freedom Behind the First Commandment
This episode introduces a 10-week series on the Ten Commandments, exploring their origin in Exodus and their ongoing relevance. It explains that the commandments are given to a people already freed by God and emphasizes living under grace, not law. Focusing on the first commandment, the Pastor...
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Wait Patiently — Finding Intimacy and Refuge in Psalm 27
This sermon explores Psalm 27, emphasizing God’s offer of intimacy. We can know God as our light, salvation, and fortress. We think through how Jesus and the Holy Spirit make God’s presence available to us and why drawing near to God brings courage amid trials. Practical steps are offered for...
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Touch the Risen Christ: Five Essentials for Mission
In the final message of Foundation Church Belfast’s summer–autumn series The Spirit of Mission, David opens Luke 24:36–49 and lays out five essentials for a successful mission: the truth the vision the message the call the power The message covers the eyewitness reality of the risen Christ, how...
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Outsiders Welcome: Finding Your Place at God’s Banquet
Jesus warns his hearers to make every effort to go through the narrow door and enter into the banquet he has prepared for us. Expect biblical teaching, pastoral application, and encouragement for those who feel like outsiders—an invitation to humble repentance, trust in Jesus, and a life of…
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Be Ready: Jesus Is Coming — A Luke 12 Wake-Up Call
This sermon from the Spirit of Mission summer series, focuses on Luke 12 and Jesus’ teaching about his second coming (parousia). Jesus teaches on four pathways of readiness: the call to readiness, the lifestyle of readiness, the failure of readiness, the benefits of readiness. Check out the...
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Courage Over Fear: Living the Mission of God
This episode is a sermon from the Gospel of Luke explores what it means to move past fear for the sake of the Gospel. The talk lays out four reasons to have courage: Jesus commands it, God loves us, Jesus will acknowledge us in heaven, and The Holy Spirit empowers and equips us to speak. Expect...
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Glenn Wasson
Glenn Wasson brings the latest message in our series Spirit of Mission, focusing on the cost of being a disciple of Jesus. Main Text Luke 9:18-27 SPEAKER Glenn Wasson, member of Foundation Church Belfast FOUNDATION CHURCH BELFAST Every Sunday 10:30am - 2d Knockwood Crescent, Belfast, BT5 6GE...
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How to Have Big Faith
Jesus hears about a centurion's Big faith and is amazed at what he encounters. Despite not even seeing Jesus, the centurion believes in him based on what he has heard. We too can share in this big faith when we: Humbly approach Jesus Recognise the authority of Jesus Choose to trust Jesus When we...
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The Pathway to Discipleship
Jesus gives us his mission statement as he reads from the prophet Isaiah: ‘The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free, to…
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Three Obstructions to the Mission of Jesus
In our series The Spirit of Mission, David Varney highlights three obstructions to the mission of Jesus. Sickness Demons Boundaries We see how these obstructions were overcome by Jesus, and learn how we too, when faced with obstruction, can minister in Jesus' name. MAIN TEXT Luke 4:38-44 SPEAKER...
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Sunday Night Service: Ricky Malone and Jay Millar
Ricky Malone speaks on Why and How We Share the Good News, and Jay Millar shares his story about how Jesus radically transformed his life. FOUNDATION CHURCH BELFAST Every Sunday 10:30am - 2d Knockwood Crescent, Belfast, BT5 6GE ADVANCE MOVEMENT We are part of the Advance Movement of churches and...
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The Return of the Prodigal Church — Preparing for the Day of the Lord
As a skilled preacher, the prophet Malachi brings his sermon to a close with a huge challenge to his listeners - the Day of the Lord is coming; how will you experience it? For some, the Day of the Lord's appearing will be agony; for others, ecstasy. How can two such widely different responses...
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Judgment Day: Which Group Will You Be In?
David unpacks the biblical teaching of the Day of the Lord, using Malachi and the parable of the prodigal son to distinguish three groups to explain how each will face God’s judgment. the wicked, the religious, and the faithful. Key points include why mere religious practice can be empty, how…
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Repentance & Generosity from the Book of Malachi
Pastor David, drawing from the last book in the old testament, the book of Malachi - teaches on a well known portion of scripture from chapter 3 emphasizing the Lord's unchanging nature. He speaks on the call to repentance, and the promise of abundant blessings for the faithful. This touches on...
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Sunday Night Service - David Lorimer
David Lorimer tells his story and the hope for all people in Jesus. FOUNDATION CHURCH BELFAST Every Sunday 10:30am - 2d Knockwood Crescent, Belfast, BT5 6GE ADVANCE MOVEMENT We are part of the Advance Movement of churches and the wider Newfrontiers family. LISTEN TO MORE Apple Podcasts...
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Where Is the God of Justice? Malachi’s Answer: I Will Send, Testify, Purify
In this episode pastor David Varney works through Malachi 3 to answer the perennial question: “Where is the God of justice?” Using the prophet’s threefold reply—“I will send, I will testify, I will purify”—the speaker unpacks Scripture, links Malachi to John the Baptist and Jesus, and explains…
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The Wait Is Over: Jesus Proclaims the Jubilee
Nathan Brown teaches the first on our series The Spirit of Mission. FOUNDATION CHURCH BELFAST Every Sunday 10:30am - 2d Knockwood Crescent, Belfast, BT5 6GE ADVANCE MOVEMENT We are part of the Advance Movement of churches and the wider Newfrontiers family. LISTEN TO MORE Apple Podcasts...
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The Promise, the Enemy, the Savior: Marriage in Malachi
Part of the sermon series "The Return of the Prodigal Church," this episode studies Malachi’s teaching on marriage: God’s design for one-flesh covenant unity. The talk exposes two enemies of marriage—spiritual mismatching (marrying those who worship other gods) and the breaking of covenant…
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Terry Virgo: Unlocking the Power That Moves Heaven
In this episode, speaker Terry Virgo shares his personal testimony and teachings on the power of prayer, using the story of Elijah as the central example. Terry recounts his spiritual journey, then explores biblical patterns of prayer: withdrawing from the crowd, calling on God's promises, speaks...
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The curse of bad spiritual leadership
In the current series 'Return of the prodigal church' this week's sermon discusses how bad leadership can be a curse, and how good leadership can be a blessing as David Varney unpacks this message from the book of Malachi 2:1-9 MAIN TEXT Malachi 2:1-9 SPEAKER David Varney, pastor Foundation…
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Return of the Prodigal Church: When Worship Becomes Fake
This episode is a sermon in a series through the book of Malachi ("The Return of the Prodigal Church"). We explore how the question "Does God love me?" connects to corporate worship, examining why worship becomes shallow or "fake," how God responds, and how a community can be renewed. Topics...
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From Street Corners to Stadium Lights: Stuart Elliott’s Testimony
Stuart Elliott joins Pastor Dave to share his testimony of growing up in East Belfast, the early promise and setbacks of a footballing dream, the sudden loss of his father, and a life-changing conversion at a tent crusade in 1995. He recounts how faith redirected his path from street corners to...
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I Have Loved You: Malachi’s Call to a Prodigal Church
How has God loved us? This is the question asked by God's disillusioned and discouraged people. Israel have returned from exile to rebuild the Temple and city of Jerusalem, but it left them asking whether God's love and blessing is still upon them. We can ask the same question too. Does God…
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Practicing the Gospel: Philippians 4 and the Path to Peace
This episode opens with a prayer and a scripture reading from Philippians 4:2–9 (read by Esther), followed by a sermon from the church speaker as the closing talk in a Philippians series. The message focuses on how practicing the gospel produces joy and peace in daily life and church community....
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Pressing On for the Prize: Our Joy in Perseverance
This sermon explores perseverance as taught in Philippians, tracing how joy comes from persevering faith and the future hope of Christ. Key topics include the practice of perseverance, the power and problems of persevering faith, the theological distinction between justification and…
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From the Belly to the Breakthrough: Jonah’s Prayer in the Darkness
In this episode we unpack Jonah chapter 2 and explore how God hears prayers from the darkness and provides salvation even in our lowest moments. The speaker reflects on personal grief and church community support, walks through Jonah’s experience in the belly of the fish, and connects it to…
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How we can live the gospel
This episode is a break from the current series delivered by our very own Matt Adams about what is our greatest need?
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Open Doors: Stories from the Persecuted Church
In this episode Chris from Open Doors explores what it means to be a witness for Jesus in a world that often responds with hostility. Through Scripture—especially Jesus’ call to be witnesses and the Beatitudes—Chris frames the reality that following Christ can be costly but also redeeming. He...
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Risking It All for the Gospel — Timothy, Epaphroditus & Us
This episode is an expository sermon on Philippians 2:19–30, unpacking Paul’s commendation of Timothy and Epaphroditus as realistic models of gospel-centered service. Featured figures and examples include Timothy and Epaphroditus from Scripture, plus modern parallels such as Corrie ten Boom, a...
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Shine Like Stars: Working Out Your Salvation
The Bible calls us to Shine like lights in a dark world by working out our salvation; that is, expressing our new spiritual life in Christ. We learn our calling to Shine like lights through: The Grounds of shining the gospel The Responsibility of shining the gospel The Challenge of shining the...
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Humble Like Christ: 4 Reasons to Model the Gospel
This episode unpacks Philippians 2:1–11, a sermon exploring why Christians should model the gospel in daily life and in the church. Pastor David Varney walks through Paul’s famous Christ-hymn and applies it to us today. The four reasons to model the gospel because you are a Christian because it...
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Living for Christ: Expectation, Example, and Entry
In this episode a sermon on Philippians 1:18–30 explores how the Apostle Paul finds unshakable joy despite imprisonment. Pastor David Varney walks listeners through three inroads to joy — expectation, example, and entry — showing how prayer, the Holy Spirit, and partnership in the gospel sustain...
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Joy in the Jail Cell: 3 Surprising Roads That Advance the Gospel
This episode (Week 2 in the series through Philippians) is a sermon unpacking Philippians 1:12–18. We note how Paul’s imprisonment actually advanced the gospel—so much so that the imperial guard and many others heard about Christ—and explore why that produced joy. Key topics include three roads...
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Overflowing Joy: Paul’s Letter to Philippi
Paul’s joy is contagious: even from prison he celebrates the Philippians’ faith, their generous partnership, and the sure promise that God will finish what he began in them. But can we experience this kind of joy in our own lives? How may we lay hold of it? MAIN TEXT Exodus 24:1 - 25:9 SPEAKER...
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Called, Cleansed, Communed, Commissioned — Exodus 24 Explained
This message walks through Exodus 24 in a really simple way: God calls his people, cleanses them with covenant blood, communes with them at the table, and then sends them out on mission. It’s a down-to-earth reminder that God draws near, makes us clean, shares life with us, and gives us purpose.…
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The Star That Stopped Kings: Behold Our God
Remember the Magi who left everything to follow a star? This passage (Matthew 2:1–12) shows Jesus isn’t just a newborn; he’s God worth our humility, time, and money. They dropped their status, travelled far, and worshipped him — and that same call is for you and me. So let’s be honest: what do we...
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When God Became Flesh: Making Sense of the Incarnation
Hey—if you’ve ever wondered what Christmas really means beyond carols and tinsel, this episode walks you through the heart-stopping truth: the eternal Son became one of us. We’ll unpack what “incarnation” means, why Jesus had to be fully God and fully human, and how that strange, beautiful act...
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Making Sense of Christmas: The Eternal Son
This Advent teaching series presents four Christian doctrines that Make Sense of Christmas. In this first sermon, we examine the opening paragraph of St. John's Gospel and realise that Christmas doesn't begin at the Nativity, but rather In the Beginning (John 1:1). The message considers: Who is…
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Shut the Door: Faithful Giving, Resilience, and Prayer in 2 Kings 4
Johnny Carson preaches from 2 Kings 4 focusing on the Shunammite woman’s hospitality, the prophecy of a son, his sudden death, and Elisha’s miraculous restoration of life. He highlights Elisha as a foreshadow of Jesus and draws three faith postures from the chapter: faithful giving, resilient...
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The Final No: Saul's Tragic End on Mount Gilboa
This episode reflects on 1 Samuel 31, recounting Saul and his sons' deaths at Mount Gilboa, the Philistine victory, and the grim aftermath as towns are abandoned and bodies dishonoured. Through this we learn three lessons that carry eternal consequences for every person: the fallout of rebelling...
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Near to God but Not with God — Four Signs You’re Resisting Him
This episode examines 1 Samuel 28:3–25, recounting King Saul’s visit to the medium at Endor, his encounter with Samuel’s spirit, and the grim consequences of his long resistance to God. The sermon outlines four signs of resisting God—being close to God but not truly with Him, living against God’s...
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Abigail: The Woman Who Stopped a War
Our reading from 1 Samuel 25 tells how David’s men are insulted by the wealthy Nabal, and Abigail rushes in with food and humility to avert bloodshed. The sermon draws out why peacemakers are needed, who they are (Abigail and ultimately Jesus), and practical steps to be peacemakers: be brave,...
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When the Soul Thirsts: Finding God in Spiritual Depression
This sermon walks through Psalm 42–43 to define spiritual depression—when the soul feels distant from God—and explains how it affects our body, mind and spirit. It explores possible causes (isolation, mocking, personal susceptibility), offers six practical responses (recognize the problem, use…
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Midnight Earthquake: Chains Broken, Hearts Freed
How can we gain salvation? What does it take to be right with God and receive life from him? This sermon highlights four steps we can take on the pathway to salvation: The Earthquake The Cry The Belief The transformation MAIN TEXT Acts 16:25-32 SPEAKER David Varney, Pastor at Foundation Church...
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When the Small Stand Tall: David, Goliath, and the Power of Trust
This episode unpacks the familiar story of David and Goliath to explore how God chooses people who trust His word, walk in humility, listen and obey His voice, and recognize their need for a champion. Using David’s example, the message connects the ancient battle to our lives today—showing that...
About this show
Gospel-centred | Spirit-empowered | Community on Mission
Hosted by
Foundation Church Belfast
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