CBC Podcast

Jonah is so angry that he wants to die. Why? Because God was gracious and compassionate and forgave those whom Jonah thought should be punished. Are we open to the surprising and compassionate ways God might want to work in the lives of those around us?

As well as thanking God for the harvest we need to be aware of how we can help those who don't have enough. Today we'll see how God made provision for this in his law and what it means for us now.

Have you ever wished for a second chance? For the opportunity to go back and do things differently? That's what happens to Jonah here. Having disobeyed God previously, God gives him another chance. And that is what God is like with us too. Even when we mess it up, when we turn back to God he welcomes us back and gives us another chance.

Even though Jonah had hit rock bottom he still knew that God would hear him when he cried out and that God could save him. Wherever we are, and no matter why or how we got there we can still cry out to God.

Have you ever heard from God - and then wanted to do the absolute opposite? Jonah did. Called to go east - he headed as far west as was possible. What happened to Jonah and what can we learn today in 2025?

Whether it is the first day at a new school or the first day at a new job I'm sure that we can all remember some of the emotions and feeling that new things bring - nerves, excitement, worry, anticipation...Joshua was stepping into a new role and God had both promises and instructions for him - what can we learn at the beginning of this new term?

We all know from personal experience that life can be tough - and that fact is recognised in many Christian songs (including Hard Fought Hallelujah by Brandon Lake). Not everything that we experience in life is going to be good but today we're going to be exploring what Paul means when he says that in all things God works for the good of those who love him.

Humility is not something that is particularly celebrated or valued in today's culture - but is something that we see at the heart of Jesus' character. But is it a characteristic that we are given when we start to follow Jesus or do we need to cultivate it?

A reflection on Psalm 139

Before we start looking at the Exodus story and the Passover - just how did the Israelites end up as slaves in Egypt? To answer that question we need to go back into the book of Genesis.

Paul has learnt the secret of being content because he has put his trust in God. Do we struggle to trust God when we don't have enough? Do we get greedy when we have enough? What can we learn from Paul?

5 steps to knowing joy and peace everyday. Although this letter was written two thousand years ago it remains as relevant as ever. How can we know peace and joy - not just when everything is going well, but especially when the going gets tough.

We know that to be an elite sports person requires a life that is dedicated to training. Many sacrifices have to be made along the way. And they do it because of the rewards. Their eye is fixed on the prize. And Paul wants to encourage us as Christians to keep our eye on the prize and to press on with following Jesus.

Paul had all sorts of things going for him - and yet compared with the privilege of knowing Jesus, all those other things counted as nothing. Can we know Jesus like this?

Wherever Paul travels he is with others, and along the way, and in his letters he introduces us to many of his co-workers. But he also knows that life in community is not easy. Why is being a part of a church community important and how do we make it work?

What do we mean when we talk about God working in us - and does that mean we can just sit back and let God do it all? And how does this lead to a life with less grumbling and more joy?

Living as a follower of Jesus should lead other people to notice that our life is different and ask us about it. But are we ready to answer those questions and if not - how can we prepare?

Paul wants us to follow Jesus' example - and in this passage from Philippians 2:1-11 he helps us to see what that looks like.

Why are so many Christians reluctant to share their faith, and why would the example of someone being put in prison because they were a Christian, give us confidence to talk about Jesus? Just some of the questions we're exploring today.

Today we start a new series looking at Paul's letter to the church in Philippi. If you were in prison, facing possible execution, because you were a follower of Jesus, and were writing to Christians who were experiencing persecution for their faith what would you message and prayer be? Paul's letter is full of joy and thanks and his prayer is not for an ease in their circumstances but that...

Fasting - as a spiritual discipline - has fallen off the radar in many parts of the western church. So what's it all about, should I fast, and how do I start?

The 'average person in the street' - who was alive in Jesus' time - would have been familiar with shepherds. They would have also been familiar with this as an image, a metaphor, for leaders - who were sometimes described as being bad leaders. And so what does Jesus mean when he describes himself as the good shepherd?

On Easter Sunday we celebrate the resurrection - a day that changed everything. How can we help those we come across this week to find Jesus?

On Good Friday we reflected on the cross and Jesus' great love for us.

Jesus deliberately and intentionally put his story within the context of the Exodus story. How does this help us understand what is going on?