Citylight South Church

We’re taking a short break from our series on the life of David to look at 3 of the most famous songs he wrote. These songs have been loved and cherished by billions of Jews and Christians around the world for over 3,000 years. This Sunday Joel will kick off with a look at Psalm 139. You’re not just fearfully and wonderfully made by God, you’re also totally and completely seen: But is that good ne...

DAVID: BELOVED // WARRIOR // KING Have you ever wanted to do something nice for somebody and they said ‘No thanks.’? What if that somebody was God? That’s exactly what happened to David. God had a reason of course. His ‘No’ paved the way for an even better ‘Yes.’ What God promised to David all those years ago is still making a difference in the world today — in fact your own life depends on it.

DAVID: BELOVED // WARRIOR // KING

DAVID: BELOVED // WARRIOR // KING Now that Saul is out of the picture, it's David's time to shine as king of Israel. But will he fall prey to the same temptations and sins as Saul, or will he take a different path? David is the king after God's own heart--but what exactly does that mean and is that something we can aspire to? It's all about living for one thing. It's about livi...

DAVID: BELOVED // WARRIOR // KING This week we'll make it to the end of 1 Samuel. We'll take a closer look at the sin that spelled the end for King Saul, which, as the subject of this email suggests, has something to do with his stubborn refusal to pray. Saul spent his whole life chasing the wind-- looking for anything he could control without having to depend on God. In that way, he's...

The episode in David's life we're looking at this week introduces us to an unlikely hero-- an incredible woman named Abigail who just so happens to be married to an absolute fool of a man. Tyson will be unpacking it for us, and you'll see how the line between wisdom and foolishness, good and evil runs straight down the middle of each one of our hearts. We’d love you to join us at 10:00...

DAVID: BELOVED // WARRIOR // KING At the end of the day, everybody does what they want to do. Whatever your heart desires gives rise to what you do. For David and Saul, their desires could not be more different. One wanted war, the other peace. One wanted his enemy to die, the other wanted his enemy to repent and live. Their actions told the story of their hearts. How does a person overcome evil d...

DAVID: BELOVED // WARRIOR // KING What's the difference between a close friend and a rival? Sometimes all it takes for the weeds of unfriendly competition to spring up is just a little bit of attention thrown somebody's way. All it took for Saul to go from loving David to trying to kill him was a poem-- two lines that made David big and him feel small. What can we learn from Saul's des...

DAVID: BELOVED // WARRIOR // KING This week we unpack one of the most well known stories in the whole Bible when David faces down the champion named Goliath. A lot has been said about this story over the years. Not all of it helps us understand why this story is in the Bible in the first place, and what we're meant to learn from it. One of the biggest things we get wrong about the story is who...

DAVID: BELOVED // WARRIOR // KING After Saul failed miserably, God sent Samuel to choose the next king. Who would he choose and what difference would it make? Would the next guy crash out just as quickly? God’s choice was a total surprise. Mainly because the one he chose was a nobody. He had no name. No resume. No following. And yet he was God’s man for the job. This week we find out why he picked...

DAVID: BELOVED // WARRIOR // KING King Saul was God's hand-picked king to rescue His people from their enemies. And while he seemed a bit reluctant to start, he eventually found his feet and accomplished some great things. But it wasn't long before everything started to come apart. What changed? And what can we learn from Saul's downward spiral into madness? We'll see that even in...

DAVID: BELOVED // WARRIOR // KING Why do you want what you want? And what happens when you ask God for something crazy? In the days of Samuel, the Israelites did just that. They asked (demanded) a king to rule over them and fight their battles. But it was more than just a practical request--it was a symptom of their sin-sick hearts. So how did God respond? And what can we learn from them when it c...

This Sunday we kick off a new preaching series on the life of David the king who more than any other paved the way for King Jesus. But before we get to see how the Lord chose him as king, we need to see how he chose the one who chose him (Samuel). And to get to know him, we need to get to know his incredible mum. It's her example that will form the values of the king--one that was forged in th...

The heart of Christianity is not a set of rules or traditions. The heart of Christianity is an announcement. Breaking news. The Author of Life was executed and then three days later His tomb was empty. 2,000 years later we're still unpacking and celebrating that announcement. This weekend we'll be staring right into the heart of Jesus to see who it is He chooses to honour. The answer is go...

The heart of Christianity is not a set of rules or traditions. The heart of Christianity is an announcement. Breaking news. The Author of Life was executed and then three days later His tomb was empty. 2,000 years later we're still unpacking and celebrating that announcement. This weekend we'll be staring right into the heart of Jesus to see who it is He chooses to honour. The answer is go...

This Sunday we remember with the whole Church the day that the Lord Jesus rode a donkey into Jerusalem while the onlookers celebrated Him as King. No other king in history ascended his throne as humbly as Jesus. And that should make us wonder. Jesus is always beckoning people to look at him and not turn away in fear or disgust. Because He knows the longer we stare at the Son, the more glory we see...

This week we're exploring a tough topic--pain and heartache. As Christians we're all looking forward to the world when everything sad is untrue, but why do we have to deal with so much pain in the here and now? What's the point of it all?  The Bible, specifically, the apostle Paul in Romans 8, has some answers to that question that our hearts need to hear. Not just so we can endure in...

This week we're gathering at El Shaddai in Wellington to continue our series, Deeper: Real Change for Real Sinners, based on the book by Dane Ortlund.  This week we'll be practicing our breathing-- how taking in the Bible and speaking out prayer is vital for us becoming the men and women God made us to be. And we're not doing this alone-- we're learning to use God's chosen brea...

What does it mean to walk in the light? In today's world, it's possible to be seen but not really known. Our online selves, and even our in person selves hide behind filters and fast fashion. The real you is hidden from view. But what if it's not possible to experience real joy alone? And what if not being alone means total honesty with trusted friends-- no filters, no excuses? Is that...

What's the difference between God and idols? What is an idol anyway and do people still worship them today? Why would anybody choose an idol who can't speak over God who speaks to us all the time? This week we're taking a deep dive into these questions--why it is that we put our trust in anything other than the God who made the galaxies. And we'll see what difference it makes for u...

How much does God love you? What about on the days when life is beyond our ability to handle? Human love is limited because we humans are limited creatures. God's love is as unlimited as He is. But how do we come to know it for ourselves? How do we know that it's for us and not for other people whose lives seem to be so trouble-free? We need His love even to know how much He loves us--and...

One of the more important reasons we find it so hard to fight our indwelling sin and grow in grace is that we don't understand who we are. As Christians, we're not just saved by grace then left to our own devices. We're now and forever deeply connected to Christ himself. And that changes everything. That we are joined or united to Christ is the most common metaphor to describe our rela...

Before we get to the good news of grace, we have to reckon with the bad news. So how bad is it? How bad are you and I? How far short of God's standards do we really fall? How much change is enough? The Bible helps us to see ourselves for who we really are-- sinners on the precipice of being lost forever. Our experience as Christians brings us face to face with our own broken desires. But until...

Nobody wants to be a hypocrite. No Christian wants to be struggling with the same sin and shame at age 70 that they did when they were teenagers. So how do we change? Letting go and letting God is out. Sheer will power doesn't seem to work either. Here's the good news: the Gospel that announces you can be saved through faith in Jesus also trains us to become what we already are in Christ....

If CityLight South was a child, we'd probably be starting school. This Sunday we'll get to celebrate together what God has done among us thus far and what He might be up to as we grow into maturity. Great news for our families--CityLight Kids kicks off with a birthday celebration of its own this Sunday, and we'll get to share lunch together afterwards. Bring a salad to share if you&#39...