What controls you?

In week 5 of Deep Roots, Real Fruit, we start looking at what spiritual growth actually produces in the life of a Christian - beginning with the real fruit of self-control.

In Galatians 5:13-17 we see that Jesus came to free us from being controlled by our sinful desires so that we can live by the Spirit and choose to love God and others.

But, what does that look like when you really want to keep scrolling? When you want to send the angry message? When you want to fit in with the crowd, or get your own way?

In this episode, we explore what self-control looks like in te life of a Christian. Surprisingly, it's not so much about becoming really good at controlling yourself. Instead, It's about letting Jesus be in charge and discovering the freedom that only He brings.

Speaker: Sam Foster
Series: Deep Roots, Real Fruit
Topic: Self-Control
Bible Passage: Galatians 5:13-17
Date: 21/08/26 T3 W5
Website: restawe.com

Can you really follow Jesus on your own?

In this week of Deep Roots, Real Fruit, we look at church - not as a building or an institution, but as God’s people gathering together. From Hebrews 10:24-25, we see that Christians aren't meant to do life or faith alone. God grows his people as we encourage, challenge and spur one another on toward love and good deeds.

But why do we need other Christians? And what happens when we decide we don't need church?

We explore how God has made us relational beings, why the Bible describes the church as a body with many different parts, and why our differences aren't a problem to overcome but a gift from God. You need the church - and the church, perhaps, needs you.

Church isn't about finding a bunch of people who are just like you.

It's about gathering around Jesus with people who aren't.

Speaker: Sam Foster
Series: Deep Roots, Real Fruit
Topic: Church
Bible Passage: Hebrews 10:24-25
Date: 14/08/26 T3 W4
Website: restawe.com

In this episode of Deep Roots, Real Fruit, we look at prayer - what it actually is, why Christians pray, and how Jesus teaches us to pray in Matthew 6. Prayer isn't about using the right words, impressing God, or treating him like a vending machine. It's about talking with our Father and growing in our relationship with him.

We explore the Lord’s Prayer and how Jesus teaches us to put God, His name, His kingdom and His will first. We also look at some of the reasons we struggle to pray, from doubt and distraction to thinking we can handle life on our own.

If God has spoken to us through His Word, prayer is our chance to respond.

Speaker: Sam Foster
Series: Deep Roots, Real Fruit
Topic: Prayer
Bible Passage: Matthew 6:5-15
Date: 07/08/26 T3 W3
Website: restawe.com

In week 2 of Deep Roots, Real Fruit, we explore the bible! why do Christians believe the Bible is God’s Word and why does it matter for our lives? Looking at 2 Timothy 3, we see that the Bible isn’t just a book of human ideas about God, but God revealing himself to us so that we can know him, be changed by him, and grow as his people.

But why trust it? The answer ultimately comes back to Jesus. If Jesus really rose from the dead, then we can trust him, and if we trust Jesus, we can trust what he trusted.

God has spoken. The question is: will we listen?

Speaker: Sam Foster
Series: Deep Roots, Real Fruit
Topic: The Bible
Bible Passage: 2 Timothy 3:14-17
Date: 31/07/26 T3 W2
Website: restawe.com

How do you grow as a Christian? Can you become a better person just by trying harder?

The Bible's answer might surprise you. Before it talks about growing good fruit in our lives, it says something far more confronting: dead things don't produce fruit.

In the first talk of our new Deep Roots, Real Fruit series, we explore the heart of the gospel. Looking at Ephesians 2, John 15, and Galatians 5, we see that Christianity isn't about making ourselves better. It's about Jesus bringing dead people back to life. Only then does lasting change begin.

Real fruit doesn't come from trying harder. It grows naturally in people who are deeply rooted in Christ.

Speaker: Sam Foster
Series: Deep Roots Real Fruit
Topic: Deep Roots 1 - The Gospel
Bible Passage: Ephesians 2:1-10, John 15:1-5, Galatians 5
Date: 24/07/26 T3 W1
Website: restawe.com

In Matthew 7:7-12, Jesus invites us to ask, seek, and knock, not because God is reluctant to listen, but because he is a loving Father who delights in giving good gifts to his children. This passage reminds us that prayer isn't about convincing God to care. It's about learning to depend on the One who already does.

If you've ever struggled to keep praying or wondered whether God is really listening, this talk is for you.

Speaker: Sam Foster
Series: Matthew - Built Different
Topic: Praying Persistently
Bible Passage: Matthew 7:7-12
Date: 26/06/26 T2 W10
Website: restawe.com

"Don't judge"

It's one of the most quoted phrases from the Bible... but is it actually what Jesus meant?

In Matthew 7:1-6, Jesus doesn't tell his followers to ignore sin or stop using wisdom. Instead, he confronts a judgmental, self-righteous attitude that forgets the grace we've received from God.

When we remember how much God has forgiven us, it changes the way we treat everyone else.

Speaker: Sam Foster
Series: Matthew - Built Different
Topic: Behold, the plank in thine own eye
Bible Passage: Matthew 7:1–6
Date: 19/06/26 T2 W9
Website: restawe.com

In Matthew 6:19–34, Jesus challenges us to think about what we're really chasing. Everything this world offers eventually fades, but the things of God's kingdom last forever.

The surprising part is that when our treasure changes, so do our worries. Jesus reminds us that we have a heavenly Father who knows what we need and invites us to seek his kingdom first instead of being consumed by what won't last.

What has your heart? And is it worth living for?

Speaker: Sam Foster
Series: Matthew - Built Different
Topic: Treasure, Worry, and Living for God's Kingdom
Bible Passage: Matthew 6:19-34
Date: 12/06/26 T2 W8
Website: restawe.com

Would you still pray if nobody knew? Would you still read your Bible? Would you still follow Jesus if no one was watching?

In Matthew 6:1-18, Jesus exposes the danger of performing our faith for other people. Giving, praying, and fasting are all good things, but they can become empty if our goal is to impress others rather than know God.

Real Christianity isn't about putting on a spiritual performance. It's about a genuine relationship with your heavenly Father, who sees what no one else can.

This passage invites us to ask an uncomfortable but important question: Who are you really living for?

Speaker: Sam Foster
Series: Matthew - Built Different
Bible Passage: Matthew 6:1–18
Date: 05/06/26 T2 W7
Website: restawe.com

Content warning: This episode discusses anger, lust, and sexual sin.

Anger doesn’t start with violence. Lust doesn’t start with actions. Both begin in the heart.

In Matthew 5:21-32, Jesus goes beneath behaviour to our hearts. Where unchecked anger grows into destruction, and unchecked lust distorts our perception of people and the world.

It’s confronting, because it includes all of us. No one is outside of what Jesus is saying here...

But there is hope!

Because Jesus doesn’t just expose broken hearts; he changes them. He lived with perfect purity, perfect forgiveness, and perfect love, and then went to the cross for imperfect people who haven’t.

This episode isn’t about shame. It’s about honesty, grace, and the deep need we all have for Jesus to change us from the inside out.

Speaker: Sam Foster
Series: Matthew 5-7 | Built Different
Topic: Anger, Lust, and Heart Transformation
Bible Passage: Matthew 5:21–32
Date: 15/05/26 T2 W4
Website: restawe.com