Hills Church

Prayer and fasting are more than religious disciplines—they’re invitations to intimacy with God. Fasting, when paired with prayer, isn’t just about skipping meals; it’s about intentionally surrendering our physical desires to seek God more deeply. Throughout Scripture, fasting is seen as a normal part of following God. Jesus fasted for 40 days before beginning His ministry—not out of religious dut...

Luke 7:36–50 tells the story of a woman, known as a sinner, who boldly enters a Pharisee’s house to weep at Jesus’ feet and anoint them with perfume. Her actions are filled with humility, love, and gratitude. She makes no excuses, asks for nothing—she simply gives everything in response to who Jesus is. In contrast, Simon the Pharisee—religious, proper, and proud—offers Jesus no welcome, no affect...

Life often feels like moving through thick fog—times of discouragement, confusion, or hardship can cloud our vision and make it hard to see clearly. Yet, focusing on what truly matters—living with purpose today and an eternal perspective—brings hope and direction. Doing everything with faithfulness and excellence, whether in relationships, work, or daily tasks, brings lasting value. Even when the...

In 2 Peter 1, we’re reminded of something powerful: through the righteousness of Jesus, we’ve been given a faith just as precious as anyone else's—regardless of our background or story. Peter encourages us to grow in grace and peace, not by learning more facts, but by growing in our relationship with God—truly knowing Him, not just knowing about Him. We’re also told something incredibly freein...

There’s a seat for everyone at Jesus’ table. Unlike the crowded, sometimes exclusive gatherings we experience in life, communion is a place of open invitation and deep love. When Jesus gathered with His disciples in John 13:18–30, He revealed that one of them would betray Him. In that moment of tension, two disciples responded in very different ways. Peter wanted answers—but kept his distance. He...

On Sunday, we were reminded what it truly means to live unashamed of our faith in Jesus. It started with a beautiful moment of gratitude—that we’re free to gather, worship, and express our faith openly, something many in the world cannot do. The heart of the message was simple but powerful: sharing our faith isn’t about pressure or performance—it’s about love and overflow. Just like we naturally t...

In a culture that often suggests faith should stay private, there’s power in living with open-hearted conviction. Being unashamed isn’t about being loud or perfect—it’s about quietly standing tall in the truth of who we are: loved by Jesus, shaped by Scripture, and empowered by the Holy Spirit. People are more spiritually curious than they let on. They aren’t necessarily looking for someone who ha...

Communion is a beautiful and sacred moment for every believer. It isn’t just a ritual—it’s a powerful reminder of God’s deep love and perfect plan of redemption. What began as the Passover in the Old Testament, when God rescued His people from slavery in Egypt, was transformed by Jesus into something even greater. At His final meal, Jesus took the bread and the wine and gave them new meaning. Inst...

Jesus loves His Church—deeply and personally. This is one of the most important truths to hold onto. When we think of “the Church,” we’re not talking about buildings or denominations, but about people: every believer across the world (the universal Church) and the gathered body of believers in our local communities (the local Church). Together, we are the visible representation of Jesus Christ on...

As followers of Jesus, we’re called to live unashamed of the gospel, because it is God’s power for salvation (Romans 1:16). But what does that power look like in our lives? One essential part is understanding and welcoming the Holy Spirit. We’re reminded of John the Baptist’s words in Luke 3:16:  “He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.”  That fire represents three beautiful truths: God...

Romans 1:16 says,  “I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes.”  This verse challenges every believer to live with boldness and conviction in a world that often resists the message of Christ. Being unashamed of the gospel doesn’t come from self-confidence, but from knowing the truth and power of what Jesus has done. When the Holy Spir...

God’s holiness is not a distant, intimidating purity—it's a powerful, welcoming presence that invites us close. He doesn’t recoil from our sin or require us to be spotless before approaching Him. Instead, He draws near, offering love, forgiveness, and transformation. Confession, then, becomes a sacred act—not of shame, but of freedom. It’s hard to admit where we’ve failed. Often, we’d rather hide...

This week, the Christian calendar brings us to Ascension Day—40 days after Easter—when Jesus returned to heaven. It’s a moment of both awe and anticipation. The disciples had just witnessed the risen Christ, and now, they were asked to wait. To pray. To prepare for what was to come. That waiting period—between Ascension and Pentecost—wasn’t passive. It was expectant. The disciples gathered togethe...

Life can feel like running a race in gumboots—awkward, slow, and exhausting. Gumboots might keep your feet dry, but they were never made for racing. In the same way, we often hold onto things that feel safe or familiar but actually hinder our spiritual growth. True freedom in Christ comes when we recognise what’s holding us back and allow God to exchange it for something better. Jesus came to set...

Life often throws unexpected challenges our way—disruptions that seem small at first but quickly pile up, leaving us overwhelmed. In those moments, we tend to focus on what's loudest, most urgent, or emotionally pressing, even if it’s not what truly matters. Spiritually, this mirrors our journey of faith. The core message? Stay focused. Fly the airplane. In other words: keep your eyes on Jesus...

Jo Hood led us through a reflection on the 35 years of mainly music, a ministry that started at Hills and has since grown into a global movement. The foundation of this ministry is rooted in Ephesians 5:1–2: “Watch what God does, and then you do it... Mostly what God does is love you. Keep company with Him and learn a life of love”.  This passage is both an invitation and a command. We are called...

We had Allan Taylor, the President of the Baptist Union speak to us this week calling the Church back to what should be at the center of everything we do: prayer. Going through Acts 12, where Peter is miraculously freed from prison as the Church prayed, his message reminds us that prayer is not optional—it’s vital. Sometimes we unknowingly drift into taking God’s blessings for granted. We get busy...

Easter Sunday is a celebration of the greatest victory in history: Jesus Christ is risen. This truth is not just a cause for joy but an invitation to reflect on the full story of redemption—from creation, through the cross, to resurrection and beyond. Humanity’s relationship with God was fractured from the beginning due to disobedience. Despite countless opportunities to return to Him, people cont...

No Greater Love: When We Weep and God Still Moves Even when love is questioned, it doesn't stop loving. Even when hearts walk away, God keeps walking toward them. “Why does a good God let bad things happen?” It’s a question people throw out like a mic drop, hoping it silences the idea of God altogether. If God is love, why the suffering? Why injustice, disaster, grief? But instead of offering...

There’s a kind of worship that goes beyond melodies and lyrics. It's the kind that finds its voice in the middle of fear, where the weight of uncertainty looms large. It's the worship that shows up when we don’t have the answers but still choose to fix our eyes on the One who does. Worship, at its core, is a matter of the heart. Not polished perfection, but pure intention. It’s not about h...

When we think about worship, music is usually the first thing that comes to mind. But in the New Testament, one of the Greek words for “worship” also means “to serve.” That changes the whole picture. Worship isn’t just about expressing devotion to God—it’s about how we use what we’ve been given to serve those around us. In 1 Corinthians 12–14, Paul writes to a church that was all-in on spiritual e...

For many, worship is a Sunday morning event, something with a clear start and end. We enter the building, sing the songs, listen to the sermon, and then step back into our regular lives. But is worship meant to be confined to a time slot? The apostle Paul challenges this mindset in Romans 12:1: "Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as a...

What does it truly mean to follow Jesus? Many identify as Christians, but the essence of discipleship goes deeper than just a title—it’s about transformation, commitment, and a new way of thinking. In Matthew 28, Jesus gives His disciples a powerful directive before ascending to heaven:“Go and make disciples of all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit,...

Diana was in transition, moving back home with her family after years of diplomatic service overseas. They were temporarily housed in a hotel, waiting for their belongings to arrive. As she was packing up to leave, she spotted a Gideon Bible in the nightstand. She had seen it in countless hotel rooms before, always ignoring it, but this time was different. She felt an undeniable urge to take it. C...

There was a man in agony, tormented by something unseen but deeply real. Two people sat in the room with him, trying to figure out what was happening. Was this a spiritual attack? Was it something else? They debated. They discussed. They reasoned. But while they sat caught up in their theological analysis, the man continued to suffer. Outside the locked door, another man pounded on it, desperate t...