bread church

By breadReligion & Spirituality Christianity

bread church episodes

June 08 The kingdom needs you: the talents pt 2.
Matthew 25:14-30; Genesis 2:15
Returning to Jesus' parable of the talents, we consider how this story
relates to all areas of our lives other than money.
We have all been variously gifted by God - not just in respect of our
abilities or talents, but also with regards to our history, our
personality, our relationships, our experiences, all of what makes us, us.
As co-collaborators with God in building his kingdom, we're called not to
sit on all that we've been given, but to invest it. We're called to use it
for the good of people, and the glory of God. If we don't, we're in danger
of losing it.
But if we do, God promises to give us even more. And when we do, we get to
delight in all the ways our investments make our world an even more
wonderful place.
By Ed Flint
36 min
June 01 The kingdom needs you: the great banquet.
Luke 14:15-24; Isaiah 25:6-8
The Parable of the Great Banquet is Jesus opening the doors to everyone.
After being invited to dinner by a group of Pharisees, Jesus answers their
question on who’s in and who’s out in his new kingdom. Drawing from
Isaiah’s messianic banquet prophecy 700 years earlier, Jesus redeclares
God’s desire for everyone to be included. That means you too!
By Tom Powell
32 min
May 11 The kingdom needs you: the mustard seed
Mark 4:30-34
The Kingdom of God being parabolically described as a mustard seed by Jesus
in Mark 4 was surprising to his listeners by the shore of the sea, to say
the least. And his reference to nesting birds might seem benign enough to
us, but to them, the splendid cedar of imperial messianic power (from
Ezekiel and Daniel) was supposed to provide birds shelter.
So the image of the mustard plant — found blooming bright yellow all over
Los Angeles in springtime, just as it was across Galilee — becomes
significant in all sorts of ways: there’s no singular main trunk, but a
multitude of stems; it spreads invasively and at an almost unstoppable
pace, partly because of how rapidly and abundantly each stem produces
seeds; it grows together, and stands together, to produce shade. Even the
size of the bloom depends entirely on the winter rains that come beforehand
(throughout Scripture, God’s Spirit is poured out like water on dry land.)
Powerful symbolism for Mark’s original community, and a specific word to us
as a community today.
By Hannah Flint
45 min
May 04 The kingdom needs you: the sower.
Matthew 13:1-23
The Kingdom of God is what life looks like when Jesus is in charge. It has
already begun through Jesus, but it’s not yet fully visible; it is present,
but hidden, and we as His people are called not just to be in it, but to
participate in God’s kingdom work in the world. The Parable of the Sower
demonstrates Kingdom people as a quiet resistance force—joining God in
pushing back against evil through love, witness, and action-- and teaches
us three important principles.
First, sow generously: share the message of Jesus widely without worrying
about results—God’s Kingdom is marked by abundance, not efficiency.
Second, recognize different responses: some hearts are hardened by
busyness, some are shallow (driven only by emotion or intellect), and
others are distracted by worries and wealth.
Third, cultivate good soil: make space for God, engage deeply with His
Word, and allow it to shape every part of life. The promise is that, when
we respond fully, God produces a multiplied harvest—bringing lasting love,
joy, peace, and transformation, even in a broken world.
By Ed Flint
0 min
April 27 The new life Jesus promises.
John 3:1-8, Ezekiel 36:25-27
Following on from last week's talk about who the real Jesus of the gospels
is, today we consider the sort of life he promises to bring.
In his interaction with Nicodemus, Jesus promises something more radical
than any religious, political or social leader has ever offered. He says
that what humanity’s needs goes beyond sociological, economic, or political
revolutions, and beyond psychological revolutions. Jesus says humanity's
problems all stem from a spiritual problem, so only a spiritual solution
will do. He says everyone must be born again. Only with the spiritual
cleansing, washing and refreshing of the new birth found in him and by his
Spirit, will lives be fundamentally changed.
As God himself, Jesus is uniquely able to provide this for all who turn to
him.
By Ed Flint
38 min
April 20 Invite your friends to Alpha.
Sign up for alpha
With our upcoming Alpha course beginning April 28th, we consider what it is
we’re doing when we invite our friends to the course.
Ultimately we’re inviting them to meet Jesus. And He always meets people
just as they are.
From his interaction with the Samaritan woman (John 4:1-30) we see that
Jesus, fully human, is not afraid to admit his needs. He meets us on equal
and humble footing: bestowing dignity, breaking down barriers, treating us
equally, offering the supernatural water of life that fully satisfies, and
bringing the presence of God into the midst of us. Jesus is the one we’re
all made for. And by inviting friends to Alpha we’re saying: come and see!
By Ed Flint
44 min
April 13 Serving the city.
How do we seek out the lost sheep? What does loving the most vulnerable
look like? How do we see and love people with the heart of Jesus?
Our guest speaker Bob Ekblad shares his story and experiences of working
with people on the margins: folks struggling with addiction, inmates,
immigrants, and so many other people who have been overlooked by society.
He unpacks what it looks like to be a disciple of Jesus: lambs called to
seek out sheep in a world surrounded by wolves.
By Bob Ekblad
37 min
April 06 Easter Sunday 2026
The resurrection means everything good will be restored. Because of Jesus’
bodily, historical rising from the dead, a new day has dawned. Just as the
power of sin touched every single part of creation at the fall, the power
of the resurrection is redeeming every single part of creation since
Easter. Sin and death has been swallowed up in the victory of God.
God is restoring everything- paintings and buildings, people and marriages,
relationships and families, hearts and bodies, and the whole universe! So,
when it comes to the future, we need not be pessimists nor optimists;
instead we can be something far more powerful: resurrectionists!
He has risen! Hallelujah!
32 min
March 30 Live the revolution: down the narrow path.
Matthew 7:13-29
Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount concludes with a choice: which road will we
walk? The “narrow way” is not about securing a distant afterlife, but about
embracing a transformed life here and now—one shaped by the Spirit’s
ongoing work within us.
Set against the backdrop of Israel’s coming destruction, Jesus warns of the
broad road that ultimately leads to a wasted life, disconnected from true
purpose. For us today, this choice remains just as urgent. Kingdom people
resist moralism in all its forms, reject shallow measures of success, and
push back against radical individualism.
Instead, they commit to a shared life of formation—walking together, being
shaped into the image of Christ, and offering themselves in willingness to
be used by God. The invitation stands: enter the narrow gate, and discover
the life you were made for.
By Hannah Flint
0 min
March 23 Live the revolution: do good.
Matthew 7:1-12
The Sermon on the Mount is not merely about behavior, but about a deep
transformation of the heart that enables Kingdom living from the inside
out. As we conclude our series, we consider Jesus' closing statement: “do
to others what you would have them do to you.”
His “Golden Rule” is the simple yet demanding summary of his teaching to
this point. He calls believers not just to avoid harm but to actively
pursue good through restoration and generosity toward others. Ultimately,
Kingdom people are those who resist judgmentalism, practice self-awareness,
and extend to others the same gracious kindness that they themselves
receive from God.
By Ed Flint
36 min