SBC is growing in cultural diversity, but this is also true of our town and wider community. What does it look like to build friendships among different languages, faiths and cultural differences? How can the good news of Jesus be shared within those friendships?

Small Group Friendship

One of the blessings of community life at church is the wide range of ages often present when we get together. It’s probably one of the distinct characteristics of church life. While we gather from different generations, how well do we know one another? We speak a lot about friendship, but is that possible across generations? The Bible says a lot about an older generation investing in the younger and the younger ones inspiring those in their elder years. In the last of our series on friendship, we look at the story of Moses as an inspiration for friendship between generations.

Friendship Among Generations

Church. God’s community. Different characters, personalities and life experiences, but gathering to grow in faith and follow Jesus. This is what belonging to a church is about. Do you belong to a church, and if so how? 

Church - How Do You Belong?

Silence is a rare thing these days. We are often surrounded by noise and bustle so it is good to take a couple of minutes to pause and be thankful for those who have given their lives to protect our country. But what other thoughts and emotions will pass through your mind in that reflective silence? We live in troubled times but are not the first to do so. In Romans 8, Paul talks about 'our present suffering', so let's explore his thoughts to see how, as present-day followers of Jesus, we might respond to the problems around us. 

Remembrance

Simon Harry from Bewdley Baptist Church shares his research on encouraging intergenerational connections in church life. Simon explores 1 Samuel 3 in the Old Testament and speaks about the challenge of how we can grow in getting to know one another better. 

Intergenerational Connections

We begin Advent focussing on the opening of Luke’s Gospel and the incredible moment that prepares the way for Jesus’ birth. We often jump straight into the nativity story but this year we’re slowing down to focus on what happened before Jesus came to earth. Before Jesus there was Theophilus, Zechariah & his wife Elizabeth, King Herod, the angel, John the Baptist and 18,000 priests! Weaving all these relationships together was the Holy Spirit, moving and acting in awesome ways. So how does the Holy Spirit work amongst our relationships within the church? That’s a question to ponder anew  (what the almighty can do) throughout our ordinary, everyday lives.

The Spirit of Christmas

Sometimes, we are so familiar with stories in the bible that we can skim over them and miss important truths. Gabriel’s visit to Mary to tell her she will give birth to a baby boy is one of those. But when we spend a little bit of time looking into the story, we can see that this birth was the coming to fruition of many prophecies in the Old Testament that refer to Jesus’s time on earth as a servant king and also looking forward to His second coming - when 'Seeing Salvation' will be revealed in all its glorious fullness.

When Angels Speak

Simeon - someone moved by the Spirit. And what a huge blessing he had as a result! As we delve into this passage, it becomes clear that the question we must ask ourselves is whether we recognise when the Holy Spirit is working in our lives. What do we potentially miss if we are not open to the work of the Holy Spirit each day?

Moved by the Spirit

Who were you, crazy Anna? All that time that you waited, fasted and prayed in the temple. All day and all night. Waiting to see salvation. Who were you, crazy Anna? One of Luke’s lowly, marginalised outcasts. Shunned by all the wealthy and important people. Dismissed as a rambling widow who had strange visions. And yet you knew who was coming, didn’t you, Anna? And you got to see the face of salvation. After all that faithful waiting, you met the baby Jesus. And you knew. You knew! You weren’t crazy at all. So what can we learn from Anna to help us see the face of salvation?

Waiting for Salvation

You never hear much about Jesus’s life as a teenager, and there is good reason. It isn’t mentioned much in the Bible. But in Luke’s gospel chapter 2, we glimpse those teenage years. He went AWOL when his parents lost him in the big city of Jerusalem. Joseph and Mary searched for him, and it was a moment of great anxiety and tension. Jesus was eventually found, and we read he grew in character and reputation. What were your teenage years (or are) like? How might your life might relate to the teenage years of Jesus?

Jesus's Teenage Years

Shirley Baptist Church is a thriving, contemporary evangelical church, with an emphasis on Scripture, faith and mission, working out its purpose in the power of the Holy Spirit.

New tracks tagged #Shirley Baptist Church