Horley Baptist Church

"The deepest loneliness isn't the absence of people—it's separation from God." - Never before have we been so connected through technology, yet loneliness is at epidemic levels. We long to belong—to a family, a friendship group, a community, a tribe. Martin explains why this longing is so painful by referring to Genesis 3. Sin broke humanity’s relationship with God, damaging every other relationsh...

Why Acceptance Never Feels Enough Why do we care so much about what other people think of us? Why does rejection hurt so deeply, and why is approval never quite enough? In this opening message of our Still Haven't Found What You're Looking For? series, we explore one of the deepest longings of the human heart: the desire to be loved. Drawing from the surprising and beautiful poetry of Song of Song...

Every generation receives a gift from those who came before. The question is: what will we leave behind for those who come after us? In this final message of our Beacon Project series, we explore Psalm 78 and God's call to pass on the story of his faithfulness to the next generation. We look beyond plans, budgets, and buildings to the bigger picture of Kingdom legacy. Because the greatest thing we...

What comes first in your life? In a world filled with competing priorities, Jesus challenges us to seek God's Kingdom above everything else. In this message, we explore what it means to put God's purposes first—not only in our faith, but in our time, relationships, gifts, and finances. As we consider the future of Horley Baptist Church, this sermon invites each of us to ask a simple but searching...

Throughout the Bible, God often asks his people to prepare before they can see what he is about to do. In Isaiah 54, God tells his people to enlarge their tent and make room for future growth. What does that mean for us today? Why does space matter? And how can creating room become an act of faith? In this message, we explore how the proposed auditorium fits into the wider vision of the Beacon Pro...

Why does the church exist? Is it simply to hold services, look after members, and keep the lights on? Jesus had something much bigger in mind. In this first message of our Beacon Project series, we explore Jesus' words in Matthew 5:14-16 and discover that the church is called to be a light in the darkness—a visible sign of God's love, hope, and truth in the world. The Beacon Project isn't ultimate...

Compassion makes such a significant difference to real peoples' lives. Listen for a first hand account and be challenged. If you're interested in sponsorship find more info here: https://www.compassionuk.org/hope/

Can we still have hope when our circumstances don't improve? At the end of Habakkuk, the crisis remains. The economy hasn't recovered, the enemy hasn't disappeared and the future is still uncertain. Yet Habakkuk chooses to rejoice in God. This isn't shallow optimism. Optimism says, "Things will probably get better." Faith says, "Even if they don't, God is still trustworthy." Our hope doesn't ultim...

What do we believe when we have prayed, waited and watched—but God still seems silent? Habakkuk discovered that God was at work, although not in the way he expected and not in ways he could immediately understand. God’s apparent silence was not God’s absence. At the heart of this chapter is a call to keep trusting, obeying and living faithfully: “The righteous person will live by his faithfulness....

Why does God appear to remain silent when the world seems to be falling apart? Habakkuk looked at his society and saw violence, injustice and a nation drifting further from God. He asked the question many of us still ask today: “Why aren’t you doing something?” In this message, we discover that faith doesn’t require us to ignore what is wrong or pretend everything is fine. God sees what we see, an...

God is not finished with you—and this life is not the end of your story. God doesn’t just act in history—he is at work in us today through the Holy Spirit - we're not meant to follow Jesus alone. Join Ian and Jen as they consider what Dazz has to say. This is the last in the 'This is what we believe (and why it still matters)' series. You can catch the other 4 episodes on YouTube or your podcast p...

There is a lot of evidence that Jesus lived. Few people dispute that. But the cross and resurrection changes everything: Martin asks whether we believe Jesus is trustworthy and can change our lives. What do you believe? Have a listen and be encouraged to ask questions. Neil and Robin hope the session.

If you were God, how would you come into the world? Phil suggests that the way Jesus came is so radically different from what we would consider, that this, coupled with the life he lived, tells a powerful and life changing story. See what you think... Helen and Angie are hosts for the morning.

The Creed begins with God as Father Almighty, creator of heaven and earth. That’s a radical claim in a world that often feels random and impersonal. If God is Father, then we are not alone. If God is Creator, then our lives are not accidents. What implications are there for us and the way we live our lives? Join Anna and Stu as they listen to Danny and share their thoughts.

We often think belief is optional or purely intellectual—but in reality, every person lives by a framework of belief. The opening words of the Creed—“I believe”—invite us to step beyond vague spirituality and consciously place our trust somewhere. This isn’t blind faith; it’s a response to a story that claims to make sense of the world, of suffering, and of our own lives. Join us for this challeng...

Abigail - not a well known character but such a wise women. Rev Kerry Evans finishes up the excellent subversive women series and reminds us not only to seek wisdom, but to have the humility to listen to and learn from the wise. Throughout this series we've seen again and again, at the moments that mattered most, it wasn’t the obvious people who changed the story… it was those willing to step in,...

Do we write people off as not being suitable for a role? Maybe we don't consider them qualified..? Maybe we wrtie ourselves off and think there's no way we can do the things we feel we should. The story of Deborah and Jael shows us that God uses suprising people - and that includes us. And there are also some good gory tent peg details...

Miranda opens up the story of Rahab to us. It's a great story (find it in Joshua chapter 2 onwards in the bible if you're interested) and Rahab seems a very unlikely person to be part of God's big story. Have a listen as Miranda helps us consider the part we may be able to play in the same story. And make sure you hang around to hear Phil and Sue chat about it afterwards. They speak honestly and a...

Sometimes the most righteous thing you can do is refuse to stay silent. Martin unpacks the interesting and surprising story of Tamar: is she an example to follow? Have a listen and see what you think. Stu and Neil are hosts for the morning.

What if the life you’re chasing is actually keeping you stuck? In a world that prioritises comfort, Jesus invites us into something deeper. This final message looks at how avoiding discomfort can quietly block spiritual growth—and how stepping into God’s call leads to real life. Robin and Angie are our hosts, as Martin brings us the 4th in our sermon series something's in the way New here? Explore...

What if the biggest thing holding you back isn’t what’s happening to you—but what you believe? Jesus speaks about truth, lies, and freedom in a way that cuts right to the heart. This message explores how subtle deception shapes our thinking—and how truth can set us free. Martin brings the message: Jen and Ian host the session. John 8:31–36, 44 New here? Explore more at horleybaptist.org.uk/media O...

You don’t have to reject God to drift from Him—you just have to replace Him. This week, we look at how good things like success, security, or relationships can slowly take centre stage in our lives. The result? A divided heart and a restless soul. Jesus shows us how to re-centre what matters most. (Matthew 6:19–24). Neil shares his thoughts: Anna and Angie are your hosts. NB: the video clip referr...

Why do small issues turn into big problems? In this opening message, we explore how unresolved anger quietly creates distance between us and God—and how what we leave unaddressed can shape our lives more than we realise. If something feels “off” in your relationships or your faith, this could be why. Ephesians 4:25–32

The Bible teaches that the Christian life involves a spiritual battle. Prayer is one of the key ways we stand firm in that battle. In this final message of our series based on the Prayer Course from 24-7 Prayer, Martin and Jen explore the idea of spiritual warfare and the armour of God described in Ephesians 6. Rather than creating fear, the Bible shows that prayer connects us to the strength and...

Is prayer a one-way conversation, or does God still speak today? In this message we explore listening prayer — learning to recognise God’s voice and guidance. The Bible teaches that God speaks primarily through Scripture, but also through the gentle prompting of the Holy Spirit. Looking at Jesus’ words in John 10, we discover that followers of Jesus can learn to recognise the voice of the Good She...