The Church Has Left the Building

The earliest Christians experienced explosive growth without owning church buildings, yet so often today we cling to church buildings as if they are the essence of church. This sermon, delivered on the occasion of One Church's last public meeting in Drayton Hall, puts to rest some of the false thinking surrounding what makes a church a church. You will discover church as a counter-cultural, transformational community of connected relationships with God and one another. And you will be inspired to embrace church as an identity and not an activity or place, thereby releasing limitless possibilities.

Being Family

The book of Acts gives us a picture of church that meets together in both large groups and in small gatherings in homes. Inspired by the early church's example, this sermon - delivered at the launch of our Connect Groups - unpacks the exciting vision for small groups at One Church. You will see that church is so much more than meeting together for a few hours on a Sunday - it is about genuinely doing life together and being family. 

The Horizontal Dimension

Relationship is at the heart of what it means to be a Christian. Sometimes we can think that Christianity is only about a personal relationship with Jesus - but nowhere does the Bible describe this as exclusively private. In fact, God calls us to be in deep and meaningful relationship not just with Himself but also with one another. Our desire for fellowship with other Christians is even a barometer of our love for God. This message, which deals with some of the oft-cited criticisms of church, will inspire you towards a fresh, compelling and dynamic vision for local church.

Better Together

Christians are better together: God has made us to be in relationship with Him and also with each other. In this first sermon in our series 'One Another' (all about unleashing the power of together), we explore what it means to live out the 'one another commands' of the Bible, focusing on why and how we're called to love one another, be one with one another, value one another and encourage one another.

The Next Generation

Christianity is potentially one generation away from extinction. Each generation has a responsibility to invest in and pass on the truth to the next generation. This sermon explains how as individuals and as a church we  can reach out, model faith and pass on a godly inheritance to the next generation.

Name Changes Can Be Game Changers

In the Bible, names were seen as descriptive of not only who people are but also who they are meant to become. On the occasion of Palm Sunday and the launch of our new name 'One Church', John Glass – the General Superintendent of Elim and the Chair of Council for the Evangelical Alliance – brings a timely and inspiring word encouraging us to step into our identity and destiny, releasing what we have to Jesus’ mission and being a people who take the glory of God from where it is to where it isn’t.

Spring Up, O Well

The wells of our spiritual fathers and mothers need to be reopened in this generation; the fact is that many have never drunk of the wells of which they drank. This sermon reminds us that the destiny of the church is not wrapped up only in the new but also in the ancient paths – in retrieving ancient ways such as prayer, evangelism, Spirit baptism and consecration. But as well as re-digging old wells, we are reminded that we need to dig new wells and lay claim to new spiritual territory in our generation – so that we will leave a legacy from which future generations can drink.

Daring Faith, Unswerving Hope, Radical Love

Daring faith, unswerving hope and radical love describe what we as Church are called to live out. These words outline what we need to demonstrate to see God’s kingdom come – what it’s going to take to see our communities, our cities and our nations impacted and transformed in Jesus’ name.  This sermon will inspire you to have a faith in God that dares to grasp hold of His promises for our lives and for the lives of others; to persevere and remain steadfast in hope, being firmly anchored regardless of any storm; and to be filled, motivated and driven by radical love.

This sermon, from our Vision Sunday (Part One) on 24th January 2016, marked the announcement of our new name. The statement 'daring faith, unswerving hope, radical love' is the strapline for One Church.

Casting Shadows

The apostle Peter walked in such a zone of glory that even his shadow became a powerful instrument of healing. Every Spirit-filled Christian has the potential to cast a far-reaching spiritual shadow too.

On this his first official Sunday as Senior Leader, Pastor Dominic exhorts us to be so filled with God that His presence overflows from us and we cast a healing shadow over every person and environment that we come into contact with.

Catalyst

On the occasion of the induction of our new senior leaders Dominic & Catherine De Souza, this is a message from John Glass, General Superintendent of Elim. The night also marked the official transition of the church into the Elim network.

Finishing Strong

What ultimately matters is not how you start but how you finish. But finishing well does not happen by accident. It requires one taking the time to think about the legacy they want to leave and then shaping that legacy today.

Ahead of becoming Senior Leader in September 2015, Pastor Dominic speaks about finishing strong by beginning with the end in mind.