Summer Sundays 2019

What we believe shapes us: our thoughts, actions and behaviours. When we believe truth, that change is transformational. A step into the light, a pathway to freedom. Let’s journey together.

Our annual three week Daniel Fast with neighbouring church IIC, carried the theme of Kingdom Breakthrough. “Walking around these walls, I thought by now they’d fall … I’ve seen you move, you move the mountains. And i believe, I’ll see you do it again.”

Jesus changed the world. Undisputed. 2,000 years on we are still talking about him and more people than ever are following him. But who is he? Do I understand him? Or has my view been obscured by layers of tradition, human opinion and popular thought?

The Five Graces of Jesus is based on the verses in Ephesians 4:7-13. Each person in the Body of Christ is one of the 5, and that we need all 5 to make up the whole. A bit like a personality test, we all have a particular strength. Each of us has one.

Exploring our vision of Celebration and Community

Mark wrote the first account of the life of Jesus. It’s simple, straightforward and succinct. It carries eye witness testimony. It’s as close to Jesus as we can get.

“The great Christian revolutions came not by the discovery of something that was not known before. They happen when someone takes radically something that was always there”. H. Richard Niebuhr. This is no more true than The Reformation itself. As we celebrate 500 years of this tumultuous time for the church, and the world, what rediscoveries demand a radical response from us?

Burlington joined with many from ICC to fast, pray and worship through the first three weeks of the year.

“It’s good news that will bring great joy to all the world.” This year at Burlington, all sorts of people have discovered for themselves the joy that Jesus brings.

We are disciples. We know that. But are we disciple-makers? Well, yes we are! We cannot be a true disciple without being a disciple-maker.
Discipleship involves discipling - But how?

This three part teaching is based on a promise. God’s promise. It’s the only place in the Bible where we are invited to test him. The test is not based on the length of our prayers, the number of worship songs we can sing or the number of Bible verses we have memorised. Surprisingly it’s about money - yours and mine - and how we handle it.

Who am I? It’s a question we are all asking. Our identity matters.
Often our identity can trouble or confuse us. It can leave us anxious or even afraid. Easily we become prey to marketeers who promise with each brand so much more than the product.

With so much bad news, it can be hard to believe in any good news. As the Christmas adverts bombard us with subtle messages about how things can be better, it’s easy to be cynical, doubtful - same old, same old. Good news? I shouldn’t think so!

Jesus calls us to be ‘salt’ and ‘light’, to become a Godly influence wherever he has placed us. Joseph’s calling is our calling. His story is ours. Whoever we are, and wherever God has placed us our destiny is to become people of great influence and Joseph’s journey is our road map.

There are 7 signs of life. You may remember them from biology (or perhaps not!). In this series we will look at each of these Vital Signs to help us explore our own vitality, and that of the communities we are building.

The run up to Easter is traditionally a time for self examination. It’s a time to slow down, refocus and examine our hearts. This 40 day period called Lent recalls the 40 days that Jesus spent in the wilderness preparing for his ministry. We will let the words of Jesus be our guide.

The Daniel Fast is a spiritual discipline where followers of Jesus Christ can draw nearer to God and focus more of their attention on Him and His ways. In today’s busy and distracting culture, entering into the fasting experience is like pushing the pause button in a hectic life and centering more on the rest that Jesus offers.

Babies are born everyday and family and friends expectantly await news of the new arrival. The conversations that follow centre around a few key questions: - Is it a boy or a girl? What names have you given him/her? How much did he/she weigh? So what if we asked those same questions about the baby from Bethlehem? Who would we ask and how would they answer?

There’s a reason lions are called ‘King of the Beasts’: they rule by their great power and strength.
Daniel lived at a time when great powers ruled the earth. They were fierce and domineering and dealt severely with anything in their way. Yet Daniel not only survived, he thrived! He knew the secret of walking with lions.

The guys closest to Jesus could see he was different, very different. He had rhythm, purpose, an agenda. They saw how his whole life was a prayer, a never ending synergy between father and child. And they asked him, “Teach us that life-prayer.” And he did.

I guess that sums it up. Conquered. Won. Completed. Triumphed. Succeeded. The resurrection of Jesus nailed it!
Is he truly the Son of God? Does his death have meaning for anyone else? Is there only one true way? Is my life bigger than the sum of my years?

In February 2008 we opened the Church Centre, transforming our buildings into a bustling and vibrant place where our community gathers 7 days a week. We are re-telling the story of God’s miraculous provision of the church centre, giving all of us an opportunity to invest or re-invest in the buildings that bless us so much, think about our giving in the light of God’s provision.

There are 4 seeds that we need to plant as a community in order to get a harvest. Learning to …
Listen, Lean, Live and Love

Love or hate them, they are everywhere at Christmas and are part of modern day Christmas. But there are long lasting, centuries old lyrics that speak into the same longings as the words of the songs that fill our shops. Why do these age-old lyrics offer such hope? Why are they still sung each year? Do they have something to say to us now?