Going Deeper

In a world of immediate gratification and instant results, self-control seems like such a foreign concept. Yet, the power of God works in our lives to bring self-control. So how do we get there? How do we deny the reckless indulgence of the world around us, and reflect God's selfless and others-focussed attitude? Aimee and Jo talk to Jonquil Burn, Riverlife's LifeCentre Co-ordinator, about how to anchor our lives in the power of God to let self-control bear its fruit.

Outrage is the stock in trade of our modern communication channels, yet the Kingdom of God presents us with gentleness as provided by the Holy Spirit. But how do we navigate our reactions of outrage when everyone around us acts that way? Only with God's help! Aimee and Jo talk with Joel Kelder and Dave Scarlett, two men who live their lives demonstrating the power of gentleness.

The sheer scale of need in the world is almost unimaginable, and yet the faithfulness of God speaks to His provision to each person who has a need. How does that happen? Quite often, through faithful people being faithful with their resources as they live in relationship with our faithful God! Jo talks with Rod Callanan, one of the founders of Droplets in a Stream, about the faithfulness of God and the way that can be expressed to people who are often forgotten.

Goodness is one of those fruits of the Spirit that never seems to draw much attention. It can feel a little beige, a little underwhelming, even boring. but goodness - when we really dig into it - is a whole lot more than just being okay. It's the expression of God's nature in our lived reality! Jo and Aimee talk with Barry Klopper, who's a family lawyer, and he sees the lack of goodness in people's lives every day and has first-hand experience of what goodness can do when people are in chaos.

Peace is an often-talked-about commodity that is constantly sought and seemingly hard to find. Biblical peace goes beyond an absence of conflict, towards the state where people flourish in relationship with God and others. Bailey Meyers joins Aimee and Jo to discuss how peace addresses the contempt of our current culture and the power of taking the time to think before we react.

Kindness is one of the Spirit's antidotes to hostility in our world. See the needs of others and using all that God has given us to meet those needs breaks the cycles of brokenness that the world offers so many. Shélagh Walton and Hannah Row join Aimee and Jo to talk about the fruit of kindness.

Lynn Anstey has worked alongside people with physical and mental disabilities for much of her professional life, and when her faith and her deep compassion met in a ministry to adults with disabilities in a faith context, it seemed like the best use of her 'retirement' years that she could imagine. And it turns out, she's more busy now than in her professional life, as she ministers to and walks alongside people that are often forgotten and overlooked in the mainstream church.

Join Jo as he talks with Sarah McIntosh and Jeremy Veenstra about Enter the Light, Riverlife's Christmas production. Join them as they explore the power of artistic expressions of biblical truths, the power of place and impact of stepping into the Christmas story in a different way.

Choosing joy in our everyday life can be challenging. Some days it's easy, some days it's hard. Add to that the current cultural emphasis in comparison, and it becomes downright toxic! Yet, in the middle of this, Holy Spirit offers us joy that overcomes. Jess Dickson and Sarah McIntosh share their journies into joy in the midst of family, sickness and comparison, and encourage us that it is possible!

The Fruit of the Spirit start with love. Aimee Cowan and Jo Leutton talk with Sandy Meyers about her life, ministry, and Helping Hands - a ministry to the disadvantaged on the streets and hostels of Ipswich, Australia.

Connecting the fruit of the Spirit in Galatians 5 with Jay Kim's book "Analogue Christian", Jo Leutton and Aimee Cowan journey through each of the Fruit of the Spirit, talking with people who live out these fruit in their everyday lives and ministries. You'll hear from people from all walks of life sharing their success and challenges as they seek to live in step with the Spirit in all that they do. Join us for this journey!