Godfirst Cheltenham

Howard explores four biblical metaphors for what Jesus cross achieved and what it means for us. The slave market - redemption; The court room - justification; The temple - cleansing; The family, the home - reconciled.

When you can love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, then you are stepping beyond mere human forgiveness but you are walking with Jesus, as a disciple of the Great Forgiver.

Howard argues we are to strongly support feminism which affirms the equality of the sexes, but the Triune God shows us you can be equal but have complementary roles. In marriages these roles are cross shaped.

Everybody cares who you sleep with! Its just that we disagree about what is sex and who gets to use it. Yet we all know that there is more to sex that skin on skin. Perhaps we all know something more spiritual is being imaged - Jesus's love for his Church.

If we step aside from prejudice and examine the historical / legal evidence for the resurrection of Jesus then we can come to no other verdict than he is risen beyond all reasonable doubt.

Is God really God? Howard walks through the Bible showing that Sin, Death and Hell are intrusive invaders into God's good earth. Picking up themes of darkness, separation, and outside the city we find ourselves at the Cross

This remarkable story is our story. Ruth shelters under the wings of the God of Israel. Boaz shows Ruth loving kindness because his mother Rahab had be a foreigner and a prostitute who find in Israel God loving kindness. Boaz like Christ takes Ruth under his wings and catches her up in God's big story, as the great grandmother of King David.

Drawing on Tim Keller's The Meaning of Marriage, Howard contrasts the consumer, comodified unfaithful nature of our relationships with the covenant self giving love and faithful of Jesus. The committed and faithful Jesus who gave himself for us as "he stayed" on the cross.

How should Jesus followers live in a sex saturated world? Ultimately sex images the God you worship. It's either loving relational and self giving or it's all about power, control and self-gratification. The series journeys through Jesus our True Husband, Singleness, Marriage, Pornography, and Sexual Orientation.

How should Jesus followers live in a sex saturated world? Ultimately sex images the God you worship. It's either loving relational and self giving or it's all about power, control and self-gratification. The series journeys through Jesus our True Husband, Singleness, Marriage, Pornography, and Sexual Orientation.

All of us, like our first parents, are tempted at one time or another to hide behind the fig leaves of the image we create to cover our shame and the naked truth about us. Dave Bish brilliantly encourages us to be clothed in Jesus, as only in Jesus can we be ourselves and feel no shame.

What are the Vital Signs of healthy Christians and healthy church? Journey with Godfirst as we take our spiritual pulse on everything from knowing Jesus, our communities, and our mission, to handling our money and our time.

Unashamably drawing from Tim Keller's chapter on singleness in his book "The meaning of marriage", Howard shows how both over-desire and under-desire for marriage miss shapes the lives of singles (and married couples), and appeals for a positive view of singleness in Godfirst.

Howard looks at the ultimate vital sign - our relationship with Jesus, asking "I wonder if you know him?"

The dramatic story of Nehemiah's rebuilding of the walls of Jerusalem contains some brilliant lessons for us, as we seek to see the church of God in this nation rebuilt as the city on a hill that cannot be hidden.

The dramatic story of Nehemiah's rebuilding of the walls of Jerusalem contains some brilliant lessons for us, as we seek to see the church of God in this nation rebuilt as the city on a hill that cannot be hidden.

The dramatic story of Nehemiah's rebuilding of the walls of Jerusalem contains some brilliant lessons for us, as we seek to see the church of God in this nation rebuilt as the city on a hill that cannot be hidden.

Adam takes the story of Jonah's call and running from God and applies it, through his own experience, to each of us.

Paul looks at the relationship between Hosea and Gomer, using their story to illustrate God's love for us.

Paul looks at the relationship between Hosea and Gomer, using their story to illustrate God's love for us.

The dramatic story of Nehemiah's rebuilding of the walls of Jerusalem contains some brilliant lessons for us, as we seek to see the church of God in this nation rebuilt as the city on a hill that cannot be hidden.

Brilliantly PJ uses Paul's mission to Athens to give us 10 tips to contextualise the Gospel without compromising. Recommended listening for all Godfirsters.

Nehemiah 4 highlights four tactics from the opposition and four responses. Ridicule countered by Prayer, Threats by Guarding your heart, Fatigue by Remembering and Despair by Fighting.

Howard unpacks the disciple making process from our Weekender and applies it to the rebuilding the gaps in the walls of our lives as a community each outside our own house.

Nehemiah bold prayers lead him to bold action. "Disturb us Lord when we sailed too close to the shore, when we grew comfortable and settled for small dreams"