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This week we ask the question that follows Easter morning: if Jesus is truly risen, where is he now and what is he doing. We walk through Acts 1 and Peter’s Pentecost sermon to see how the resurrection leads to the ascension, the sending of the Holy Spirit, and a king who reigns through gospel witness.
• Easter and the “now what” question after the resurrection
• Acts 1 and forty days of convincing proofs
• why the disciples struggle to imagine resurrection categories
• the kingdom of God as Jesus’ post-resurrection focus
• the command to wait in Jerusalem for the Father’s promise
• the Holy Spirit as power for witness rather than political takeover
• the ascension and the promise that Jesus will return
• Pentecost as the public outpouring of the Spirit
• Peter’s claim that death could not hold Jesus
• Psalm 16 as Scripture pointing to resurrection
• Psalm 110 and Jesus exalted at God’s right hand
• Christ reigning now and advancing his kingdom through the church

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This week we kick off our Easter series Joyful Trembling by sitting with Mark’s account of the empty tomb and the strange mix of fear and awe it creates. We follow how trembling comes first, then lasting joy, as the resurrection of Jesus reshapes our hope, our bodies, and our urgency to share the gospel. 

• why “joyful trembling” captures the first response to resurrection 
• the women at the tomb as reliable witnesses who know Jesus is dead 
• Mark 16:8 and the shock of trembling and astonishment 
• why the resurrection breaks our categories and demands a verdict about Jesus 
• Jesus as the God-man and what that means for reality 
• eternal life as embodied life with glorified bodies and a new heavens and new earth 
• how failing bodies make resurrection hope feel personal 
• why Easter creates a natural opening to invite neighbours and friends 
• pushing past the “will there be seats?” barrier and trusting we will make room 
• keeping evangelistic zeal so the church does not drift 
• being wise toward outsiders and making the most of the time 

Just invite them anyway. 
Invite people and pray that God would be opening up people's hearts. 

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This week we trace Joseph’s descent into Egypt and the temptation in Potiphar’s house to show how God’s presence steadies us when compromise looks easy. We map out practical ways to flee sexual sin, teach our kids with courage, and build homes with wise guardrails and honest talk.

• Egypt as a symbol of descent and danger
• God’s presence in suffering and injustice
• Why fleeing sexual temptation is wisdom
• Costs of compromise versus long term joy
• Practical boundaries for phones and media
• Parents as the primary sex educators
• A positive, biblical vision for sex
• Warnings from Proverbs 5–7 as daily tools
• Accountability, shared access, and trust
• Keep talking as children grow

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This week we trace Joseph’s story in Genesis 37 to expose the hidden power of jealousy and show how God’s providence works through human evil. We offer gospel-shaped steps to fight envy and protect unity in the church and our friendships.

• God’s providence using human evil for good
• Joseph’s brothers’ jealousy as the root motive
• How envy grows from thoughts into actions
• Scripture on envy’s inner rot and disorder
• Gospel identity as the ground of contentment
• Praying specific blessings over those we envy
• Practicing gratitude in every circumstance
• Serving people we resent to reshape the heart
• Rejoicing with those who rejoice to kill envy

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In this episode we explore Genesis 36 as more than a list of names, seeing Esau’s worldly success and the long fallout of his choices, and we call one another to live for a better homeland. We tie genealogies to today’s decisions about money, contentment, endurance, and hope in Christ.

• why Moses includes Esau’s genealogy and why it matters 
• Esau’s “trophy case” and the danger of winning the wrong game 
• how Amalek, Edom, and Haman reveal long-term consequences 
• living as temporary residents with eyes on eternity 
• Hebrews 11 and seeking a better homeland God prepares 
• applying eternity to money, possessions, and generosity 
• contentment in Christ vs the churn of consumer desire 
• Revelation 21 and thinking about heaven to fuel endurance 
• Moses choosing reproach over Egypt’s treasures for future reward 
• fighting the good fight and finishing well with hope

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This week we trace two “perplexing” lines in Genesis 35:11 and follow them from Eden to Bethel to the cross to a global church. We wrestle with messy sons, a faithful God, and how “be fruitful and multiply” becomes everyday disciple making.

• creation mandate echoed in Genesis 35 and clarified in Christ
• the Seed as the true blessing to the nations
• one nation giving rise to an assembly of nations in Jesus
• true circumcision as the heart’s work by the Spirit
• repentance, new identity, and mission as the biblical pattern
• practical fruitfulness in family life and disciple making
• blessed to be a blessing across cultures and generations

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This week on Beyond the Pulpit we trace Jacob’s reunion with Esau to show why moving toward God means moving toward people. Scripture links worship, reconciliation, and everyday relationships, calling us to humility, restitution, and peace that shows up at home and at church.

• Jacob’s intentional detour to meet Esau 
• returning to God expressed through restored relationships 
• humility and restitution pictured in seven bows 
• Jesus prioritising reconciliation over ritual at the altar 
• peace with others as an act of worship 
• marriage conduct affecting the power of prayer 
• unity at communion prompting self-examination 
• discernment on timing: pursue or give space

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This week on Beyond the Pulpit we revisit why we paused deacons, build a clear biblical case for the office, and explain how character-qualified servants protect preaching, solve real problems, and strengthen unity. We outline our pathway, address women as deacons, and preview the first roles we’re commissioning.

• two biblical offices, distinct roles
• history of pausing deacons for clarity
• definition of deacons as servant leaders
• qualifications from 1 Timothy 3
• Acts 6 as a prototype for word and service
• case for women serving as deacons
• why deacons prevent distraction from preaching
• character testing and church affirmation
• five-step pathway to commissioning
• first assignments in men’s and women’s Bible studies
• partnership between elders and deacons
• upcoming midweek ministries and start dates

“Check out our website and get signed up for any of those that might serve you well”

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This week on Beyond the Pulpit, we trace Christmas back to the garden to answer why the world needed a Savior and how the promise in Genesis 3 points straight to Jesus. We talk about the serpent’s cunning, the Second Adam, and how to stand firm in a real spiritual battle.

• Genesis 3 as the true start of Christmas
• The serpent identified as Satan from Revelation 12
• Spiritual warfare as real yet under God’s rule
• Satan as created, limited, and dangerous
• How lies twist partial truths to tempt
• Jesus as the Second Adam who triumphs
• Hostility between the seeds and new birth
• Standing firm by knowing and trusting Scripture

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This week on Beyond the Pulpit we trace five clear reasons the Bible upholds monogamy and exposes polygamy’s harm, moving from Eden’s design to the church’s witness. Jacob’s family drama becomes a lens to see how Scripture warns, how leaders model faithfulness, and how the gospel changes cultures.

• God’s design for one flesh in Genesis 2
• Polygamy’s chaos in Old Testament stories
• Kingly limits in Deuteronomy 17 to guard hearts
• Elder qualifications as one‑woman men in 1 Timothy 3
• Pastoral wisdom where polygamy is cultural norm
• Marriage as a picture of Christ and the church
• How gospel transformation outlasts mere prohibitions