Ever noticed how tightly you hold onto money — and how uneasy you feel whenever someone mentions generosity? Matt Edmundson explores why giving feels so risky, and why it has very little to do with your bank balance. We look at what Paul meant when he called giving "grace," why a poor widow's two coins outweighed millions, and what happens when you finally open your fist.

Jump to a section:

• 09:19 — Why a monkey trap explains your relationship with money
• 10:27 — Grace changes how you count
• 14:32 — Two coins that outweighed millions
• 18:12 — You can tithe and still have a closed fist
• 24:30 — Conversation Street

Why a Monkey Trap Explains Your Relationship with Money

[09:19]

There's a piece of Victorian folklore about catching a monkey. You hollow out a coconut, chain it to a tree, cut a hole just big enough for the monkey's hand, and drop some peanuts inside. The monkey reaches in, grabs the peanuts, and now its fist is too big to pull back out.

The monkey isn't trapped by the coconut. It's trapped by its own refusal to let go.

Matt uses this as a picture of how many of us relate to money. A closed fist keeps us stuck in more ways than we realise. And it's the act of letting go — not holding tighter — that sets us free.

Grace Changes How You Count

[10:27]

In 2 Corinthians, Paul is organising a financial gift from the church in Corinth — a prosperous trade city, a lot like Liverpool — to Jewish believers in Jerusalem who were facing real hardship. The word Paul keeps using to describe this gift isn't "obligation" or "duty." It's grace. Grace is when someone gives you something you didn't earn and can't repay.

Matt was honest about getting this wrong over the years — seasons of token tipping, treating giving like a deal ("I gave, so where's my blessing?"), and a stretch where church giving felt like a membership fee. None of that is what Paul is describing.

Instead, Paul points to the Macedonian church — people in extreme poverty whose "abundance of joy" overflowed into "a wealth of generosity." These are people choosing between feeding their children and sending money to strangers. And choosing to give. Not recklessly, but because they had experienced God's grace.

"Grace opens a fist, because a closed fist cannot receive." — Matt EdmundsonTwo Coins That Outweighed Millions

[14:32]

Jesus is sitting in front of the offering box at the synagogue. The box was shaped like a trumpet — metal — so that when coins dropped in, they made noise. The more you gave, the louder it was. The wealthy givers made a lot of noise.

Then a poor widow dropped in two small coins. It would have been almost silent.

"I tell you the truth, this poor widow has given more than all the rest of them. For they have given a tiny part of their surplus, but she, poor as she is, has given everything she has." — Jesus

Heaven's accounting doesn't measure amount. It measures sacrifice. Matt reflected on this and suggested Jesus didn't whisper it — everyone would have heard. Because in God's kingdom, two small coins can mean more than millions.

You Can Tithe and Still Have a Closed Fist

[18:12]

Matt addressed the tithe question directly — giving a percentage of your income to the church, which depending on your theology ranges between 10% and 23%. He believes regular proportional giving is important.

But he didn't want to spend time on the mechanics, because the heart has to come first.

"You can tithe and still have a closed fist. Which is why grace has to be the foundation of your giving and definitely not legalism." — Matt Edmundson

Generosity isn't a formula. It's a posture.

Matt shared a personal story from early in his faith, when he went overboard with credit cards, thinking God would simply provide. Wrong thinking produced a wrong outcome, and he ended up tens of thousands in debt. It was in that season — buried in debt, newly married — that he had to figure out not just what to give, but why.

One moment stood out. He put his watch in the offering. Not because he had to. Because he wanted to. And at that point, he was a cheerful giver. "And you know what?" he said. "It was really, really freeing."

Conversation StreetIs it harder to be generous when you're comfortable?

[25:38]

Matt raised a striking observation — Africa, the poorest continent, gives proportionately almost double what Europe gives. Many of the best stories of giving and God's provision come from seasons when people didn't have much to spare. He wondered whether comfort quietly kills the adventure of generosity.

Anna shared a powerful story from her gap year. She had just £160 to her name when someone prayed with her and said, "I just feel like you need to give." She gave £100 anonymously to someone she knew needed it. The next day, the exact amount appeared through her door. But the point, she said, wasn't the money. "It was about breaking that hold of fear. Money had a grip on my life."

Is generosity just about money?

[29:58]

Dave challenged the assumption that giving is always financial. He shared his ongoing relationship with a man called Peace who begs outside Tesco — remembering his name, his sandwich order, his coffee. "Time is really important," Dave said. "He needs to know he's valued."

Alicia commented that time is what she has most trouble giving because she's an introvert and feels depleted after giving a lot of herself. Dave's response was gentle but direct — do it joyfully, and God always honours obedience.

Matt pulled the threads together — your time, your treasure, your talent, your tongue. All of these are areas where generosity can flow. And God tends to challenge us in the area where we have least, because that's where the faith is.

Should we give a flat percentage or more if we earn more?

[36:48]

Dave's advice was straightforward — give what God has laid on your heart and give it joyfully. Don't overthink it. He shared his own story of when he and his wife Julie, just married with a new baby, felt prompted to empty their entire bank account. They told no one. Within days, bags of food started appearing on their doorstep.

Matt added an important caveat — these stories can be dangerous if we hear them as formulas. "You give away a car, God gives you a car." That's not how it works. The point isn't the transaction. The point is the heart behind the open hand.

Something to Try This Week

• Give something that costs you this week. Not out of guilt — out of grace.
• Ask yourself where money has a grip. Where does fear tighten your fist?
• Try generosity outside of money. Give your time to someone who doesn't expect it.
• If you're struggling financially, hear this clearly. This is not a message asking you to give instead of paying your bills.
• Sit with this verse. "God is able to make all grace abound towards you, so that you, having all sufficiency in all things at all times, may abound in every good work."

A closed fist can't hold what God is offering. But an open hand? That's where grace flows.

For more info, please visit https://crowd.church/talks/your-money-has-a-grip-on-you

Does your job feel like it's slowly becoming the whole of who you are? When someone asks what you do, does your answer make you stand a little taller — or quietly shrink? You're not alone. And you might be living inside a story about work that isn't serving you well.

This week, Mike Harris — former professional footballer, PE teacher, and now full-time gardener — brings an honest and surprisingly liberating look at what the Bible actually says about work, identity, and who we're really doing it all for.

What We Explore

Mike's journey through several careers gives him real credibility here. He knows what it's like to introduce yourself as a footballer before you even say your name — and then feel the quiet shame when that's gone. He also knows what it's like to leave a secure job because you've decided God is your provider. This conversation draws on all of it.

[05:00] Two Stories Culture Tells Us About Work

Mike identifies two narratives most of us unconsciously absorb. The first is the weekend warrior idea — work is just what you do to fund the good bits. The problem is you never have quite enough, so the chase never ends. The second is more insidious: your job is your identity. What you do is who you are.

"I would introduce myself as a footballer before I told people my name. When that ended, I felt the embarrassment of being 'just a student.' My job had become part of my identity."

What we explore:

1. Why both cultural narratives ultimately fail us
2. The story the Bible tells instead — from Genesis to Revelation
3. Why the narrative we live inside shapes everything about how we work

Key takeaway: The story you think you're living in determines how you see your work.

[15:00] Work Before the Fall

One of the most grounding ideas in Mike's talk: work was not a consequence of the fall. It was there from the beginning. God created order out of chaos — the Hebrew tohu vohu, wild and waste — and then placed humans in the garden to continue that work.

"Work is not the problem. It's the toil that was the result."

What we explore:

1. What Genesis actually says about work and its origins
2. The difference between work and toil — and why that matters on a Monday
3. Why we won't escape work in the end, but we will escape the weeds

Key takeaway: The hope isn't to escape work. It's to one day work without the toil.

[19:00] Working for an Audience of One

If work was designed by God and we bear his image before we've done a single day's work — what does that mean for how we approach it? Mike argues we work for an audience of one, and that this is genuinely freeing.

"Work does not appease God, but it can bring him glory."

What we explore:

1. Why your value is established before you start working
2. What it means to imitate God in everyday work
3. How creating order, beauty, and service connects us to our creator
4. Mike's blind client — and why he doesn't take shortcuts

Key takeaway: You bear God's image before you've done a thing. Your worth isn't in your output.

[26:47] Conversation Street

The discussion after Mike's talk got honest quickly. Will shared that he's leaving his job on Tuesday — and unpacked the pressure of feeling like you should be "fulfilling your potential" through a career. Sonia shared from the community chat that being medically retired had cost her her identity for a long time. And Matt brought a story about prayer, provision, and what happened when he stopped treating his employer as his provider.

"I think it's a lie to believe you're not enslaved to anything. We get to choose what we are enslaved to. I've just chosen to enslave myself to God." — Mike Harris

Community wisdom:

1. When potential becomes a burden, it's probably gone too far
2. Sonya from the chat: "When I was having a bad day at work, I'd take a breath and remember I was working for God. It allowed me to give people more grace."
3. Mike: if work is genuinely damaging your health, you are not trapped — God is your provider
4. Matt: Paul wrote his most joyful letter from a jail cell, chained to his jailer — and it's still changing lives 2,000 years later

Key takeaway: We all choose what we're enslaved to. The question is whether we're choosing wisely.

About Mike Harris

Mike Harris is a former professional footballer and PE teacher who spent 15 years as head of department at a Catholic comprehensive school. After leaving due to work-related stress, he retrained as a gardener — a decision he says only made sense because he genuinely trusted that God was his provider. He now brings both practical experience and theological reflection to questions about work, vocation, and what it means to do things well.

For more info, please visit https://crowd.church/talks/when-work-feels-like-all-you-are

Does the question of money keep you up at night? Or do you ever wonder why — no matter how much you have — it never quite feels enough? Pete Farrington opens a new five-part series at Crowd Church with a question that gets to the heart of it all: is money your servant, or your master?

This is a refreshingly honest conversation about something Jesus talked about more than almost any other subject. Pete draws on Matthew 6, 1 Timothy 6, Psalm 24, and Psalm 49 to build a picture of money that challenges both the prosperity gospel and the poverty gospel — and points instead to something genuinely good.

[03:36] Why the Bible Talks So Much About Money

Pete opens by noting that Jesus spoke about money more than he spoke about heaven and hell combined. But the reason, he suggests, is that we're never really just talking about money. We're talking about longing, desire, hope, safety, and fear.

"It only took me about two minutes to realise we're not really talking about money. We're talking about something far deeper than that."

What we discover:

• Why the Bible's teaching on money is as relevant now as it was 2,000 years ago
• John D. Rockefeller's famous answer to "how much is enough?" — and why we all recognise it
• Why money is never a neutral topic

Key takeaway: Our relationship with money reveals far more about us than we might be comfortable with.

[05:48] God vs Mammon: Matthew 6:24

Pete walks through Jesus' startling statement in the Sermon on the Mount — that we cannot serve both God and mammon. The Greek word mammon, he explains, means treasure or riches, and Jesus is personifying wealth as a rival master competing for our allegiance.

"Money isn't neutral. It's an excellent servant, but it's a terrible master."

What we explore:

• What it actually means to "serve" money — and how it mirrors what it means to serve God
• Why you don't have to be rich to serve mammon
• John Piper's framework: both money and God demand that you arrange your whole life around what they promise to give you

Key takeaway: The question isn't how much you have. It's where you've placed your trust.

[12:05] The Love of Money — and the Misquote We All Know

1 Timothy 6 is one of the most frequently misquoted passages in the Bible. Pete clears up the confusion: it's not money that is the root of all evil. It's the love of money.

"If you love money, you will dash the system of your heart to pieces so that all you have left are broken shards with which to scoop up sewage water that will only poison and kill and never satisfy. And all the while, the waterfall of God's love stands behind you, just waiting to quench your thirst."

What we discover:

• Why you can be broke and still love money
• Why you can be wealthy and hold it with an open hand
• The difference between desiring to be rich and desiring to fund God's work in the world

Key takeaway: Godliness with contentment is great gain. The problem is never the money — it's what we trust it to do for us.

[14:52] Stewards, Not Owners

Psalm 24:1 makes a radical claim: the earth is the Lord's, and everything in it. Pete unpacks what this means for how we think about the things we own — drawing on King David's response when he handed over a vast fortune to build the temple.

"Everything comes from you, and we have only given you what comes from your hand." — 1 Chronicles 29

Practical questions Pete raises:

• When you give, do you feel like you are losing something — or returning something?
• How would you manage your finances differently if you genuinely believed you were managing someone else's money?
• What does tithing actually mean — and why does the other 90% matter just as much?

Key takeaway: We are stewards, not owners. That changes everything about how we hold what we have.

[18:58] The Rich Young Ruler

A young man with great wealth comes to Jesus asking what he needs to do to inherit eternal life. He's done everything right. Jesus looks at him and says: sell everything, give to the poor, and come follow me. The man walks away sad.

"His problem was not that he had great possessions. His problem was that he was unwilling to give them up — because he viewed them as a surer source of satisfaction than Jesus."

Key takeaway: Too many of us are planning for retirement but not for eternity.

[24:36] Conversation StreetIs debt the same as serving mammon — even when you haven't got much?

Matt Edmundson and Dan Orange explore Pete's point that a poor person can serve mammon by obsessing over getting it just as easily as a rich person can serve it by obsessing over keeping it. The love of money is not dependent on wealth levels — you don't need money to be mastered by it.

How do you actually live contentedly? Is it possible to enjoy money without being mastered by it?

This is the real tension — and the hosts sit with it honestly. God gives good gifts and intends us to enjoy them. But the same gifts can become gods. Ade Birkby shares how health challenges in his household over recent years have unexpectedly clarified what actually matters. Matt reflects on the boat he nearly justified as a ministry tool. Dan wrestles with holidays, home repairs, and where priorities really lie. Ade sums it up: "Who's the tool?" — are you using money, or is money using you?

Can you share a personal example of trusting God with money?

Three stories — each worth hearing. Ade on a difficult season early in his marriage when he couldn't find work, and what that time built in his relationship with his stepdaughter. Dan on leaving a secure job at BT without a clear plan and finding freedom on the other side. Matt on praying for Duracell batteries as a student — specifically Duracell — and finding a pack of four on his doorstep the next morning, two already removed.

Key takeaway: Very often the things we pray for deliverance from turn out to be some of the greatest areas of God's grace in our lives.

Join the conversation at crowd.church

For more info, please visit https://crowd.church/talks/when-enough-is-never-enough

In this Crowd Church conversation, Sharon introduces the idea of "covenant dating" — an ancient framework built on shared values, character revealed in the mundane, and the wisdom of community. She also shares the moment she turned down someone she was genuinely attracted to, and why she's never regretted it.

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Ever swiped through a dating app and realised you're browsing people the same way you'd scroll through ASOS? Sharon Edmundson asks what happens when we bring a consumer mindset to dating — and whether an ancient biblical framework might offer something better.

In this Crowd Church Livestream, Sharon (married to Matt for 28 years) unpacks why modern dating leaves so many of us exhausted. With 78% of Gen Z reporting dating app burnout and 65% of young adults in the UK feeling lonely, something clearly isn't working. Sharon traces the problem back to a consumer mindset — swiping, filtering, situationships, impossible checklists — and offers a covenant dating alternative rooted in biblical wisdom.

From Genesis 24's practical principles for finding a partner, to the passionate love poetry of Song of Solomon, to the panel's candid conversation about sexual boundaries and the courage to break things off, this is practical wisdom for anyone navigating modern relationships.

[03:35] Why Dating Feels So Exhausting

Sharon addresses the elephant in the room — why dating has become such a draining experience for so many people.

"With dating apps and the culture around it, it's easy to get into that same consumer mindset and treat people as though they're just products to obtain or fit our requirements."

What we discover:

• Why 78% of Gen Z report dating app burnout
• The four consequences of consumer dating: endless swiping, situationships, impossible checklists, and vulnerability without commitment
• Why dating apps aren't the problem — our mindset is
• How everyone becomes disposable, including us

Key takeaway: The perfect person doesn't exist. And searching for them leaves us exhausted.

[09:06] Every Person Carries the Image of God

Sharon explores what the Bible actually says about how we treat people in romantic relationships.

"According to the Bible, no one is a product to be consumed. We are all image bearers of God, and that gives us worth and value."

What we discover:

• Genesis 1:27 as a starting point — every person carries God's image
• Philippians 2:3-4 — dating shouldn't be about getting our own needs met
• Why this perspective changes how we see every person on every app

Key takeaway: Every person we swipe past carries the image of God. And so do we.

[11:03] The Covenant Dating Mindset

Sharon introduces a radical alternative — dating as the beginning of a covenant process rather than a shopping experience.

"Dating for the Christ follower is about finding a suitable covenant partner to marry — someone with whom you would be able to live out a covenant relationship that honours God and his design for marriage."

Three principles from Genesis 24:

• Choose shared values over shared interests — true faith works itself out in every area of life
• Character is revealed in the mundane — watch how someone behaves when they don't know they're being evaluated
• Get input from others — sometimes a trusted friend sees the red flags we miss

Key takeaway: Commitment and vows came first in biblical covenant. Physical intimacy followed.

[19:46] Grace for the Mess-Ups

Sharon addresses anyone thinking they've already blown it.

"The good news is that when we turn from the way we've been living and turn to him, he's gracious and he's loving and he accepts us with open arms. And that invitation is always open to us."

Key takeaway: You're in good company. We've all blown it in one way or another. The invitation to start fresh is always open.

[21:27] Conversation Street

Matt, Sharon, and Mike discuss the questions and comments from the community, covering everything from whether dating is harder now, to why covenant love isn't transactional, to the courage needed to break off a relationship that isn't right.

Highlights include:

• Matt on the paradox of choice — more options can make us more indecisive, not less
• Mike on how discovering God's love made him less needy and more attractive to date
• Sharon's personal story of saying no to a guy she really liked because their values didn't align
• Matt's observation that loneliness isn't the absence of people — it's the absence of being truly known
• The panel's honest discussion about why the church has sometimes communicated sexual boundaries through shame rather than vision

Key takeaway: If you're in your early twenties and breaking off a relationship feels heartbreaking, your 40-year-old self is thanking you.

For more info, please visit https://crowd.church/talks/dating-isnt-shopping

Ever noticed how the word "submission" clears a room faster than a fire alarm? Whether it's marriage, church, or life in general, most of us carry real baggage around authority. Dave Connolly doesn't pretend otherwise.

This week, Dave — a church leader with decades of experience walking alongside people through the best and worst of life — tackles submission and authority head-on. He acknowledges the pain, names the abuse, and then carefully rebuilds a picture of what these words were always meant to look like. With contributions from Anna Kettle and Sharon Edmundson hosting Conversation Street, this becomes a genuine community conversation about trust, safety, and what healthy authority actually means.

Journey with us through:

[01:00] Why Submission Makes Us Flinch

Dave names the elephant in the room — our deeply rooted need for autonomy, the constant news stories of leaders who've abused trust, and why most people shut down the moment these words come up.

"When lots of people think of authority and submission, it conjures up a whole lot of thoughts and past experiences."

What we explore:

• Why our culture celebrates autonomy but struggles with authority
• The difference between focusing on rights versus responsibilities
• Why Dave is "heartbroken and a little angry" about leadership failures
• How dismissing submission robs us of something valuable

Key takeaway: Our reaction to submission often reveals more about our past experiences than about what God intended.

[05:07] What the Bible Actually Says

Dave draws a clear line between submission as control and submission as God designed it — starting with the foundational truth that authority flows from God and exists to benefit us.

"Submission isn't about being less valuable than somebody else. It's about aligning yourself to God and his purposes."

What we discover:

• How Jesus modelled authority through service, not domination (Matthew 20:25-28)
• The process in James 4:7 — surrender to God first, everything else follows
• Why authority was given to protect, not suppress
• The biblical framework across marriage, church, and society

Key takeaway: Authority is best exercised in service, not control and domination.

[11:35] What This Looks Like in Real Life

Dave explores submission across marriage, church leadership, and society — including a fascinating story about an MP from an unexpected political party who prays weekly with colleagues across the political spectrum.

"It's partnership, but with different roles."

Practical insights:

• How to "safe-proof your marriage" through preferring each other's needs
• Why church leaders are accountable to God for how they care for people
• The privilege and weight of walking with people through celebration and grief
• How Christians from opposing political parties found unity through mutual submission

Key takeaway: Biblical submission is about partnership and mutual service, not one person dominating another.

[28:52] Conversation Street — Your Questions Answered

The community dives deep into the hardest questions — from what to do when leaders are harming people, to whether it's possible to be too submissive, to how leaders should handle those who struggle with authority because of past trauma.

"As you live with people and you see people living in freedom, not perfection, it just stirs hope in you."

Community wisdom:

• How to recognise genuine servant leadership versus its counterfeit
• Jesus as the model of someone who was both authoritative and submissive
• Why struggling with submission isn't always rebellion — sometimes it's wounds
• The clear message: do not stay in a place that is not safe for you

Key takeaway: God is never on the side of abuse. When authority goes wrong, walking away isn't rebellion — it's wisdom.

[47:48] Final Encouragement

Dave closes with a powerful reminder that submission reveals where our heart is — and that moving forward takes humility and trust in God, not in someone else's story.

"I'll never leave you or abandon you. And you can stand on that, solid regardless of what you're going through. But that takes submission — because you have to align yourself to that."

Key takeaway: We're not choosing between safety and submission. When it's done right, submission is the safe place.

For more info, please visit https://crowd.church/talks/when-submission-feels-dangerous-and-why-authority-was-meant-to-protect-you

Ever talked yourself out of having someone over because the house isn't tidy, the food won't be good enough, or you just don't have the energy? Dan Orange gets it. And he's got a refreshingly honest take on why biblical hospitality looks nothing like a dinner party.

In this warm and practical conversation, Dan — who grew up as a pastor's kid in a house church full of "aunties and uncles" who weren't actually family — unpacks what the Bible really says about welcoming others. From Abraham running to meet strangers to Jesus' stark words in Matthew 25, Dan shows that genuine hospitality isn't about impressing people. It's about not walking past them.

The Conversation Street discussion takes things further with brilliant practical wisdom — including Matt Edmundson's concept of "fridge rights" and Will Sopwith's front-garden barbecue that connected neighbours who'd never spoken. Whether you're an extrovert who loves a full house or an introvert who needs recharging time, there's something here for you.

[05:51] We've Made Hospitality Way Too Complicated

Dan addresses the pressure many of us feel around hospitality — the clean house, the perfect meal, the social performance.

"When we entertain strangers, we don't know how much we're doing. Sometimes it's an actual meeting with angels, sometimes it's just food, sometimes it's the love that those people at the time needed more than anything."

What we explore:

• Why hospitality with an agenda doesn't feel genuine
• God's command in Leviticus 19 to welcome the stranger as one of your own
• Abraham's spontaneous, extravagant welcome in Genesis 18
• The Hebrews 13:2 reminder about entertaining angels unawares

Key takeaway: The best hospitality has no motive behind it other than love.

[17:54] When Hospitality Costs You Something

Dan tells the story of the paralysed man whose friends ripped apart someone's roof to get him to Jesus — and asks what the homeowner's response would have been.

"I want to be in that first response, the blue plaque response. But sometimes I'm too worried about what it would do to my house, my reputation, my family."

What we discover:

• Hospitality costs something — your time, your comfort, your plans
• Jesus' words in Matthew 25 about feeding the hungry and welcoming the homeless
• The difference between sharing the gospel and being the gospel
• William Booth's conviction: "I'm not waiting for a move of God. I am a move of God."

Key takeaway: God can bring extraordinary things out of what feels like a messy, inconvenient moment.

[22:34] Why Receiving Matters Too

Dan flips the conversation. Hospitality isn't just about giving — it's about learning to accept help, gifts, and generosity from others.

"If you can't receive, then you're not allowing someone to give."

Honest talk about:

• The classic British awkwardness around accepting gifts
• How Jesus himself relied on the hospitality of others
• Why there are seasons when receiving is exactly what we need
• The connection between receiving from others and receiving from God

Key takeaway: Receiving is part of hospitality, not the opposite of it.

[26:11] Conversation Street - Your Questions Answered

The community digs into the practicalities with stories, questions, and honest reflections on what hospitality looks like in real life.

Highlights include:

• Will's story of unexpected hospitality in a Kyrgyz yurt — fried fish, vodka, and complete strangers
• Matt's "fridge rights" concept — telling friends they can help themselves
• Why the best hospitality is spontaneous, not staged
• Team hospitality — you don't have to do it alone
• Dan's Good Samaritan insight: "All we have to do is not go around"

Key takeaway: Start simple. A cup of tea, a bag of crisps, poached eggs on toast. Don't let the perfect meal be the enemy of actually inviting someone in.

For more info, please visit https://crowd.church/talks/when-opening-your-door-feels-risky

Got someone in your life you're supposed to love but honestly struggle to even like? Mike Harris tackles one of Jesus' most uncomfortable commands with refreshing honesty—admitting he's nowhere near where he wants to be either.

In this conversation, Mike unpacks the Good Samaritan story and reveals why it was designed to shock its original audience. Samaritans weren't the nice charity shop people we think of today—they were enemies. Jesus deliberately chose the most offensive example to show that our 'neighbour' includes people we'd rather avoid.

[04:26] More Than Just Being Nice

Our culture has watered down love to mean 'don't be violent and remember to recycle.' But that's not what Jesus asks of us.

"We demonstrate our love for God by loving those who bear his image. Every person we encounter carries the fingerprint of the Creator."

What we explore:

• Why the greatest commandment joins love for God with love for neighbour
• How the Good Samaritan story was designed to make people uncomfortable
• The difference between compassion that watches and compassion that acts
• Why costly love was built into God's design from the beginning

Key takeaway: The Samaritan helped someone who could never repay him. That's the kind of love Jesus commands.

[18:00] How We Actually Do This

Mike shared an uncomfortable confession about avoiding a woman who looked like she might be struggling with addiction—while listening to a Christian podcast.

"My heart is not where I want it to be. I am on this journey with you."

Four practices that help:

• Look at Jesus looking at you in love - Something shifts when we receive before we try to give
• Read about how Jesus treated outcasts - Let his compassion slowly reshape yours
• Remember what Jesus has done for you - Gratitude moves us from obligation to overflow
• Watch your reactions - The people closest to you will notice when you're changing

Key takeaway: We can't manufacture this kind of love on our own. God is slowly morphing us into Christ's likeness.

[26:20] Conversation StreetWho would be the Samaritan if Jesus told the story today?

Someone who's been cancelled. Someone from the 'other side' politically. Someone whose association might cost you your reputation. Whoever represents 'the enemy' for you—that's who Jesus is calling you to love.

If you don't like your neighbour, how do you love them?

Jenny suggested starting with prayer—praying blessing, not 'God, change them.' Matt shared intentionally greeting a difficult neighbour with a smile to break down walls. Mike offered that refusing to speak negatively about someone is itself an act of love.

Where do boundaries fit in?

The Good Samaritan helped generously but didn't become a full-time carer. Costly love and healthy boundaries can coexist—it's something to keep wrestling with and talking to God about.

[44:00] The Butterfly Reminder

A butterfly is only a butterfly for about the last 5% of its life. We're in process—being morphed slowly, imperfectly, but genuinely into Christ's likeness.

"This isn't about trying harder. It's about receiving more. More of his love. More of his grace. More of his Spirit transforming us from the inside out."

For more info, please visit https://crowd.church/talks/loving-your-neighbour-even-when-you-dont-like-them

Do you have hundreds of social media friends but struggle to name someone you'd call at 3am? You're not alone in feeling alone.

In this refreshingly honest conversation, Matt Edmundson tackles the modern epidemic of shallow friendships and offers something better. Drawing from Jesus's friendship with Peter (who denied him three times and was still restored), Matt explores what true friendship looks like - the kind forged through time, crisis, and the twin foundations of grace and covenant.

Journey with us through:

• [03:14] Why we've stretched the word "friend" until it means nothing
• [10:11] Why even Jesus had an inner circle
• [15:07] The two ingredients every deep friendship needs
• [19:18] How friendships are forged, not found
• [24:20] Matt's story of a friendship that didn't survive
• [28:21] Conversation Street: Building real community

[05:49] Jesus Calls His Disciples Friends

At the Last Supper, hours before his arrest, Jesus looks at his disciples - including the one about to betray him - and says something extraordinary.

"No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing, but I have called you friends." (John 15:15)

What we explore:

• Why this moment is so remarkable given what's about to happen
• How Jesus restored Peter after his three denials
• What friendship with Christ actually offers us
• The invitation to be befriended by Jesus today

Key takeaway: Jesus doesn't wait for you to get your act together. He doesn't keep score. He moves towards you, even after you've let him down.

[15:07] Grace and Covenant - The Foundation

Matt identifies two essential ingredients that make deep friendship possible - and explains why you need both.

"Grace without covenant is warm but flaky. It's the friend who's lovely when it's convenient. Covenant without grace is loyal but heavy. It's the friend who stays but resents you for it."

What this means practically:

• Grace makes a friendship safe - you can be your real self
• Covenant makes a friendship secure - they'll still be here tomorrow
• Together they create freedom and faithfulness
• This is what Jesus offers us, and what we can offer each other

Key takeaway: When Sharon faced her cancer diagnosis, some friends pushed in while others went silent. That's the difference between grace-only and grace-plus-covenant.

[19:18] The Best Friendships Are Forged

Peter and John didn't start as best mates - they were rival fishing operators. But look what they became.

"The best friendships aren't found - they're forged. That word implies heat, pressure, and time. Like a blacksmith making a sword."

Their journey together:

• Preparing the Last Supper together
• Racing to the empty tomb (John waited for Peter)
• Facing the ruling council and getting arrested together
• Decades of shared mission, suffering, and even shared failure

Key takeaway: Forged friendships aren't perfect or easy - but they're incredibly durable.

[28:21] Conversation Street"I'm surrounded by people but feeling alone"

Anna reflected on how our generation has swapped depth for breadth. Sharon shared about a friend who used a season of loneliness to deepen her relationship with God - comfort she later gave to others.

How do you actually build deep friendships?

Anna got practical: after COVID, she joined a Pilates group, started a book club, tried a choir. Be proactive. Sign up for something. Risk rejection. See what sticks.

Friendship with God changes everything

When you're secure in your relationship with God, the fear of rejection matters less. And here's the thing - when you're secure in God, it's actually easier to be friends with you.

About Matt Edmundson: Matt is the pastor at Crowd Church, Liverpool. He shares honestly about friendships that have survived decades - and one that didn't - offering hope that real friends, though rare, are absolutely worth pursuing.

For more info, please visit https://crowd.church/talks/real-friends-are-rare-and-worth-it

Feeling like you're doing everything right and still going nowhere? You've got the skills, the experience, the morning routine that used to work - but lately it all feels like rowing through a storm at three in the morning.

In this refreshingly honest conversation, Matt Edmundson shares about hitting that wall - the kind where your expertise runs out and your usual strategies stop delivering. Through one of the most dramatic stories in the Gospels, we explore what happens when trying harder simply isn't the answer anymore, and why that might actually be the beginning of something better.

Matt doesn't sugarcoat his own experience: struggling to get out of bed, Bible reading that felt like reading Chinese, workouts at six out of ten intensity. But through Peter's impossible request to walk on water, we discover why exhausting our competence can open us to something beyond it.

[02:19] The Nine-Hour Storm

Professional fishermen - men who've worked the water since boyhood - find themselves completely stuck. They've been rowing for nine hours through a storm. The crossing should have taken four.

"These guys were professional fishermen...but right at this point, their expertise, their knowledge, their insider trading - all that sort of stuff is not making one little bit of difference."

What we explore:

• Why expertise reaching its limit isn't failure
• The project manager parallel - six months in, still slipping
• That voice that whispers 'You should be able to handle this'
• Matt's honest experience of rowing through his own storm in 2025

Key takeaway: Sometimes our competence has to run out before we're open to something beyond it.

[13:15] Peter's Ridiculous Request

At three in the morning, Jesus appears walking on water. The disciples think it's a ghost. And Peter, exhausted and bleeding, asks the most ridiculous question imaginable: Can I come out there with you?

"The boat was safety, absolutely. But the boat was also the limitation. The boat was keeping him alive, but the boat was also keeping him stuck."

What we discover:

• Peter wasn't asking for the storm to stop
• He was asking to be with Jesus in the miraculous
• Why his failure in faith put him further ahead than the others' success in self-reliance
• The moment heart recognises truth before the mind has evidence

Key takeaway: When you've exhausted your competence, you finally get to a place where you're open to something beyond it.

[22:29] Jesus Gets in the Boat

Jesus doesn't teleport them to the other side. He doesn't drag them with a rope. He climbs into the boat - the very boat that had become their prison.

"Sometimes God's grace when he gets in the mess with you doesn't mean you stop working. Peter had to pick up that oar again. But somehow it probably didn't feel like defeat anymore."

What this means:

• They still had to row to shore - but now Jesus was with them
• The difference between pointless exhaustion and purposeful struggle
• How presence lifts the shame enough to finally talk to others
• Grace adds his ability to yours - same work, but not alone

Key takeaway: Grace doesn't make you stop rowing. But it means you're rowing towards something, not in circles.

[28:16] Conversation Street Highlights"I saw myself in that boat"

Jan shared how vividly Matt's description landed - cold, wet, and miserable. But she admitted: "I don't think I would ever have been the person to say, 'Can I come out?' I'd have been watching. And that makes me feel sad." How many times have we watched others in awe, thinking: why didn't I do it?

This was their area of expertise

Dan highlighted something often overlooked: these weren't amateurs. When they told this story later, they could say: 'We are fishermen. We knew what we were doing. This wasn't us being incompetent - this was a storm beyond our capability.'

They still had to row

Jan, drawing from thirty years as a nurse, connected the timing - the body is at its lowest ebb around 3-4am. She remembered her own 'storm nights' in nursing: "I still had to work. My shift wasn't over for another four hours. But the presence of God is with us in the midst of those horrendous times."

Don't disqualify yourself

Matt added a challenge: "Peter wasn't ready. He was terrified and exhausted - and that's when he said, 'Let's have a go.' You don't have to wait for all your ducks in a row. If that water was calm, it would not have been any easier to walk on it."

For more info, please visit https://crowd.church/talks/when-trying-harder-isnt-working

Ever ticked all the boxes and still felt hollow? You got the promotion, hit the target, maybe even managed that January gym streak. And yet, somewhere underneath the achievement, there's this nagging sense that you're running hard but not actually getting anywhere.

In this refreshingly honest talk, Matt Edmundson opens up about flipping through his 2016 journals and finding the same resolutions we all write - get fitter, earn more money. But the question he never asked was: why? What he discovered wasn't a better productivity technique - it was an entirely different way of understanding who he was and why he was here.

Journey with us through:

• [03:00] Matt's 2016 journal resolutions and why they didn't satisfy
• [12:00] Shadow boxing through life - lots of movement, no impact
• [15:00] The difference between author and character
• [19:00] Paul's remarkable calm on a sinking ship
• [28:00] Three practical steps: scripture, community, prayer
• [32:00] Conversation Street Q&A

[12:00] Shadow Boxing Through Life

Paul wrote to Corinth - a city obsessed with the Isthmian Games - using athletic imagery: "I do not run like someone running aimlessly. I do not fight like a boxer beating the air."

"That image of shadow boxing is striking. Lots of movement. Lots of sweat. But no contact. No impact. And that's what self-authored ambition often looks like - training hard, throwing punches, but not actually hitting anything that matters."

What we explore:

• Why "lifestyle creep" means salary increases fade within weeks
• The exhausting weight of being responsible for everything
• How even achieving goals leaves us wanting more

Key takeaway: We end up carrying a weight that was never really ours to carry.

[15:00] From Author to Character

What's the difference between writing your own story and being written into someone else's?

"The Christian paradigm offers something radically different. You're not the author of your story - you're being written into God's story. The days aren't a blank page we have to fill. They've already been written."

What we discover:

• Why New Year's resolutions are often about writing a better story for ourselves
• The relief of not having to invent yourself
• Psalm 139 and the days already formed for us

Key takeaway: You don't have to manufacture meaning - you receive it.

[19:00] Paul on the Sinking Ship

Acts 27 tells the story of Paul - a prisoner in chains aboard a ship caught in a horrendous storm for days. The crew threw cargo overboard. All hope was gone. Yet Paul stood up and said: "Take courage."

"How do you stay calm when everything around you is falling apart? Because Paul wasn't the author of this story. He was playing his part in God's story. He didn't control the storm, but he wasn't controlled by the storm either."

Key takeaway: Knowing whose story you're in changes everything.

[32:00] Conversation Street Highlights

Why do we set the goals we set?

Mike Harris shared how asking "why" behind his resolutions was challenging - because it highlighted insecurities he was trying to cover by getting stronger or fitter.

How do we discern what God wants?

Mike talked about his shift from PE teacher to self-employed gardener. The biggest factor? Community - people who could help him think things through rather than just going with instinct.

What about fear of getting it wrong?

Matt's response: "It's harder to miss God's will than people think. You run into the space before the ball arrives. What you don't do is sit there paralysed."

About Matt Edmundson: Pastor at Crowd Church, Liverpool. Matt brings his experience of business struggles, 3am ceiling-staring, and discovering that the ladder was against the wrong wall to this honest conversation about ambition, purpose, and finding your place in God's story.

For more info, please visit https://crowd.church/talks/when-achieving-more-leaves-you-empty