Every Christian has been given a hope to cling to as we await Christ. The hope is not presents under the Christmas tree, nor is it a spouse, it's not even the church! The hope of the Israelites was, and the hope of Christians today is, no one else and no thing else other than God himself. Christ our Saviour, our Hope, and Restorer of everything.

Advent is the season of preparation for the return of Christ. But, do we really need to prepare? Won't we have time to get that sorted once he arrives? Jesus tells a parable in Matthew 25 that answers that exact question. It serves as a warning to the complacent, and an encouragement to the wise. Which one are you?

The season of Advent has begun, as Stephen preaches from Isaiah 64:1-9 pointing us forward to the return of Christ.

Kings and queens come and go, but not King Jesus. King Jesus reigns eternally!
So the question is, does his kingship govern your life?

Is the church a place of staunch resistance to change, or a driving force of innovation?
Regardless of what our various churches may be today, the Bible describes men and women who boldly pursued Spirit-powered, gospel-based innovation. And for the last 2000 years, men and women have transformed the cultures around them by taking the Great Commission as a floor for ministry, not a ceiling.

Sometimes we need to be reminded of the character of the God we love and who loves us. This week, Stephen reminded us of the faithfulness of God to us, even when we are faithless.

What is a saint? Should we celebrate saints?
The word has gathered some baggage over the years since it was used in the Bible, and it has gone out of fashion in many evangelical circles. But as we celebrated All Saints day on November 1, Stephen makes the case that it's a word worth redeeming.

Guest Speaker Adrian Lane taught about the incredible gift that it is to have our lives turned around by the gracious love of Jesus, and how we can share that wonderful news with those around us. Jesus never intended us to just be 'caught', but to also go and 'fish for others' with the gospel that saved us.