Jesus said 'come follow me' and those first people (the disciples) did just that, they went on a journey. So, from the very beginning being a follower of Jesus has always been about more than a set of beliefs or 'rights & wrongs', it's about the journey with Jesus.
We are passionate about 'discipleship', which is a fancy way of saying 'walking with Jesus each and every day' and growing in our Christian faith. But you might be asking 'how do I do that?'
This section of our website seeks to provide a variety of resources to help with just this. We're all different, and so what is helpful to one person, might not be for another. So this isn't a list of 'must dos', it's more a 'fruit bowl', you'll find some things that you like and reach for again and again, then other things that are just not to your taste. But our hope is that if you want to grow in your faith, there will be something here to help you on your way.
How about trying something new today?
Would you like an online church service?
If so the Church of England provides
these on a weekly basis.
Why not give them a try...
N.T. Wright (or Tom) is a Church of England bishop who has written many fantastic books. But he also has a regular podcast called 'Ask N.T Wright Anything'. These are short informal discussions (around 25mins) around particular questions. A great place to spur your thinking...
This is an amazing resource. They take deep dives into different parts of the Bible seeking to understand what God is trying to say.
Each episode lasts about 1hr, so this is very in depth, but done in a conversational manner which is accissible. Give it a try...
The Bible Project, as well as running a fantastic podcast, have produced an excellect video series.
These videos engage with a wide variety of themes, everything from Books of the Bible, to Dragons, to asking what tricky words mean, and much more. These are all short, around 5mins each, and are REALLY accessible.
Daily prayer is a fantastic thing for any Christian, but it can be hard ot get started.
Lectio 365 is an app from 24-7 Prayer which provides a daily Morning and/or Evening Prayer, lasting about 10mins, with a host who takes you through step by step...
Perhaps you've tried prayer and and it's just never really clicked. 'Praying Like Monks, Living Like Fools' is a book by Tyler Staton which explores prayer in very simple language and offers a variety of different ways to pray. It's a great place to learn a bit more...
Every Monday evening at 7.30pm we meet on Zoom to pray for 30mins.
Sometimes prayers are short, just a few words, sometimes much longer, some people just stay quiet the entire time,
there's no right or wrong way.
If you wanted to join us and give it a go you'd be very welcome. Just send Gareth an email and he'll give you the sign-in details...
By Strahan Coleman
Coleman talks about two types of prayer... active (i.e. intercession, confession, etc...) and what he terms 'beholding'. Having been bedridden by sudden illness for 4/5years Coleman found that God was present in his suffering in a way he never anticipated.
This is a good read, and invitation to encounter God afresh, to know that we are loved and seen in ways we never anticipated.
By Paula Gooder
'Heaven' and 'angels' are things that many people have a belief in, but have you ever wondered what the Bible actually says about them? Paula has. This book is all about this subject. It's very readable and an interesting insight into what the Bible says, why this is important, and what it means for us today. Why not give it a go.
By Pete Grieg
I have loved reading this book. In it Grieg talks about his experience (a the experience of others) of seeing God at work in miraculous ways as they have sought to follow where He leads. It's an inspiring read, and one it's hard to put down. I would encourage anyone to pick up this book and remember once again what Jesus means when he says 'Come follow Me'.
More information & resources to follow soon.