This is the first talk of five in 1 Peter at Lee Abbey 2026 Listen here: I’ve recently stuck L plates on our car for (hopefully) the last time as I’m teaching our third child to drive. We’ve had a few close shaves, but no prangs yet, and long may that continue. This milestone got me thinking about five phrases Peter uses in his first letter to describe what exiles like us are actually holding onto — a living hope, a locked-in inheritance, lasting joy, long-term perspective, and a living word. Simple enough to write but tough to live out. […]
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Last week I was preaching at Trinity Cheltenham in their sermon series on Mark’s gospel. My passage was Mark 15:33-41, and the focus was on the torn curtain (v38), and the centurion’s declaration (v39). Take a look here: or listen to the audio version here: The temple had so many barriers to entry: the Court of the Gentiles was as far as most of us could go; ritually purified Jewish woman could go a little further, but had to stop in the Court of Women; Jewish men could go into the Court of Israel; priests entered the Court of Priests; […]
From Slaves to Sons
Last week I was invited to preach at All Saints in Worcester on Galatians 3:23-4:7 as part of their series on Galatians, with the title ‘From Slaves to Sons’. You can watch it here: And listen to the audio version here: Here is a transcript if you prefer to read: From Slaves to Sons Slave, or son? That’s the choice sitting inside this passage. Galatians 4:4–7: “But when the set time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those under the law, that we might receive adoption to sonship. Because you are […]
The Cost Of Non-Discipleship
I was asked to preach last weekend at St George’s, Stamford, on ‘The Cost of Discipleship’ from Matthew 8:18-22. You can watch here: And listen to the audio version here: I often talk about the cost of discipleship, but it is interesting to consider the cost of non-discipleship. Dallas Willard once noted, “a life penetrated throughout by love, faith that sees everything in the light of God’s overriding governance for good, hopefulness that stands firm in the most discouraging of circumstances, power to do what is right and withstand the forces of evil. In short, nondiscipleship costs you exactly that […]
Guard your First Love!
I was recently preaching at All Saints Peckham, as part of their series on Revelation. My text was Rev 2:1-7 The Letter to the Church at Ephesus. Listen/watch here Verse 7 says: “Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches.” You can also listen to the Audio version here:
Connecting to God’s Presence and Power
This is the sermon I gave last Sunday at St Andrew’s Church in Mount Pleasant, South Carolina, looking at Exodus 40:34-38 and closing out their series on the book of Exodus. Their strapline is ‘connecting people to the presence and power of Jesus’, so the passage fitted well, and hence the title. Or you can listen to the Audio version here:
The Mission’s Church
Last Sunday I preached in Cardiff at Highfields Church, and asked the question: Does the church have a mission, or does the mission have a church? Listen here:
Jesus Has Got This! John 6:1-15
Last Sunday, I gave this sermon at my old church, St Andrews Mt Pleasant, just outside Charleston, SC. They were in a sermon series on ‘Encounters with Jesus’, and we were considering the feeding of the 5000 in John 6:1-15. Watch the Video here: Or you can listen to it here: The takeaway: Bring all you’ve got;Leave it all to Him;Jesus has got this! Questions for discussion: