elimworthing

In a fast paced, chaotic world, how do we embrace the fruit of self control?

Real freedom is not doing whatever we feel like in the moment, It is learning the joy and discipline of Spirit-led restraint. Self-control ensures that God’s Spirit directs our lives, time, and resources, rather than our shifting desires, cultural pressure, or forces hostile to God.

Alongside this character, what does the spiritual gift of leadership actually look like, and how does it differ from worldly authority? Jesus modeled a radically different way to lead—one marked by service, humility, and strength under control. This Christlike leadership should shape how we influence every arena of life, from church ministries to our homes, friendships, and workplaces.

On a day when we honour those who courageously led and served our nation, what lessons can we apply to our own lives today? As we remember their sacrifice, we consider how we, too, can live with self-controlled courage, and prayerfully lead others to come to see Jesus as a source of hope and life. 

Whether you are longing to see God move in your daily life or wondering how the early Christians sustained such an unstoppable impact, the Holy Spirit provides the supernatural engine that powers true Kingdom dynamic.

​Join us as we continue our series, “The Spirit-Filled Life,” as we explore "The New Testament Dynamic"—unpacking how the supernatural presence of God became the normal, day-to-day experience of the early Church.

​It is easy to look at our lives and feel a gap between the ordinary routines we experience and the extraordinary power we read about in Scripture. We often ask: How do ordinary believers step into extraordinary impact? The New Testament demonstrates that a Spirit-filled life is marked by unmistakable dynamics

Whether you are seeking a fresh spark in your faith or looking to understand where you fit in God’s family, the Holy Spirit is the dynamic engine behind the living Church and every believer within it.

​Join us as we continue our series, “The Spirit-Filled Life,” where we look at "Pentecost and the Birth of the Church"—moving from Jesus’ individual ministry to the explosion of a Spirit-empowered movement.

​Many of us long to feel part of something bigger than ourselves, yet it is easy to feel powerless, isolated, or unsure of how God works through ordinary people. The story of Pentecost shows us that the Holy Spirit was not given just for extraordinary individuals, but to ignite a unified, transformation-driven community:

​A Sudden Sound and Presence (Acts 2:1–4): As the disciples gathered in unity, the Holy Spirit descended with the sound of a rushing wind and tongues of fire, transforming a fearful group of followers into bold witnesses overnight.

​A Message for Everyone (Acts 2:5–18): Fulfilling the prophecy of Joel, Peter declared that the Spirit is poured out on all people—sons and daughters, young and old—breaking down every barrier and equipping ordinary believers with extraordinary power.

​A Call to Response and Renewal (Acts 2:37–39): Cut to the heart, the crowd asked, "What shall we do?" The answer remains the same for us today: repent, be baptized, and receive the gift of the Holy Spirit—a promise meant for you, your children, and all who are far off.

​Here is the compelling truth: the same Holy Spirit that birthed the early church and turned the ancient world upside down is alive and active in us today. We were never meant to walk out our faith in human strength or in isolation.

Long before Pentecost, the Holy Spirit was actively moving in the lives of ordinary people to accomplish extraordinary things. In our next session of “The Spirit-Filled Life” we will explore "A Taste of Things to Come: The Holy Spirit in Old Testament Characters” 

In the Old Testament, the Holy Spirit did not permanently dwell inside every believer as He does today; instead, He came upon specific individuals at specific times to empower them for God’s mission. Through key passages in Numbers, Judges, and 1 Samuel, we will examine how encountering the Spirit transformed real people:

Moses & the Elders (Numbers 11:16–17, 25): Discover how God shared the Spirit to equip leaders for wise governance and shared responsibility, proving we were never meant to carry life’s heavy burdens alone.

Samson (Judges 13:24–25; 14:1-6) See how the Spirit began to stir in a young man's heart, giving supernatural strength and boldness to overcome insurmountable odds.

David (1 Samuel 16:13; 17:45–50): Trace the moment the Spirit came powerfully upon a humble shepherd boy at his anointing, giving him the faith, courage, and authority to stand against giants.

Today we are looking at how the Holy Spirit has been involved in creation and what he promises us when we trust in Him.

We learn about the Holy Spirit as soon as we open our bibles and start reading

Genesis 1:1-2; “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was formless and empty, and darkness covered the deep waters. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the surface of the waters.”

The Spirit of God here, refers to the Holy Spirit, who is depicted as being active in the initial moments of creation. The Hebrew word for “Spirit” is ruach, meaning “breath, wind, or spirit, " and the word for “hovering,” translates as “brooding” or “moving gently,” implying a protective and creative function. The Holy Spirit ensured that creation moved from void and emptiness to order and fullness. This introduces the idea that the Holy Spirit not only was present at the beginning of creation but is actively involved in organizing, animating, and infusing the creation with life and potential.

Francis Chan once wrote, “Christ said it is better for us that the Spirit came—I want to live like I know that is true. I don’t want to keep crawling when I have the ability to fly.”

It’s a bold statement that invites a deep, transformative question: How could having the Holy Spirit within us actually be better than having Jesus standing beside us?

Join us as we continue with our Autumn series, The Spirit-Filled Life. 

In our second message in the series, we want to move beyond viewing the Holy Spirit as an abstract concept or force and encounter Him as a distinct, living Person. Through Jesus’ own words in John 14:15–25 and John 16:5–15, we will explore His true identity, how He relates to us, and how understanding who He is changes the way we walk, pray, and live every day.

Whether you have been a Christian for years or just beginning the journey, come and listen, come with open hearts and big expectations. We are praying for Godly insight to step out of spiritual crawling and discover what it truly means to fly in daily fellowship with the Spirit.

So we are wrapping up our study on the book of 1 Peter

As we journey through the book we learned that God is more interested that we know who we are, than worrying about how the world is trying to shape us into its mould.

So let’s look at the Final chapter and again embrace what Peter so desperately wanted the followers of Jesus to grasp then and which would be great for us to grasp now.

In chapter 4 of 1 Peter, we are introduced to a pattern of behaviour and action that will seem strange to the way we live today. Peter had journeyed with Jesus and we can see the influence of Jesus teaching on Peter's writing.

In the gospel of Luke, Jesus said ...to the crowd, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross daily, and follow me”. Luke:9.23 NLT

It is this truth revealed by Jesus that we see Peter echoing to the church he was writing to. Peter wanted them to know that following Jesus will bring a strange and different dynamic into the way you do life. 

When someone attacks your beliefs or questions your faith, what is your knee-jerk reaction? For most of us, it’s to build a wall, sharpen our arguments, and prepare to win a debate. We live in a culture that treats conversations as battlefields where the goal is to demolish the opponent. But Peter introduces a Strange Defense. He tells us to always be ready to give a reason for the hope that is within us, but to do so with gentleness and respect.

Peter isn't telling us to win arguments; he’s telling us to win people. The strangeness of this defense is that it values the soul of the skeptic over the satisfaction of being right. Join us as we discover how an anxious, defensive faith can be traded for a calm, gentle posture that completely disarms a hostile world

Our session today is full of challenges that sound very strange to our modern ears. In fact, some people have labelled this text a ‘trigger verse' and abusive text. In the context of our culture today, where most people mistake volume for power and the person who shouts the loudest, posts the sharper and out-rage the competition is the one making an impact, Peter introduces us to a strange strength.

He delves into our most intimate relationship and challenges the followers of Jesus to adopt a posture of gentleness and a quiet spirit which ranks highly favourable with God. Peter is not advocating for a passive spirit, he is challenging the church to have an inner fortress that doesn't rely on screaming to be heard. 

In this session we'll explore how to trade the cultural norm of outrage for a lifestyle of deep empathy, honour and unity. True strength is not found in winning the outrage, it is found in the power to extend peace when everyone else is throwing stones.