Hills Church

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...

Two young children, eager to show love for their mother, prepared her breakfast in bed. They had watched her daily routine but in wanting to make it even better, they created a strange mix of flavours—salty, tangy, and overwhelmingly sweet. It wasn't what she would have chosen, but she loved it because it was done in love. Later that day, those same children, were at each other's throats i...

The road to the cross was paved with injustice. The Jewish leaders who condemned Jesus broke five of their own laws to ensure his execution. Hypocrisy was thick in the air, but Jesus did not resist. He knew their hearts, and still, he went. Why? Because love that is willing to serve is love that is willing to sacrifice. In the garden, Jesus agonised in prayer, yet still chose obedience. On the cro...

Imagine sitting by a busy street every day, invisible yet noticed for what you lack. This was the daily reality for a man born blind, a fixture in his community who was known more for his perceived failures than his humanity. The story of this man’s life took a dramatic turn when he encountered Jesus, and this extraordinary event speaks volumes about how God disrupts assumptions and changes lives....

In life, there are moments that change everything—encounters that challenge how we see the world, others, and ourselves. Encounters with Jesus are like that. They reveal truths we might not be ready to face but desperately need to understand. These encounters aren’t random; they’re transformative and purposeful, calling us to a deeper, more authentic relationship with Him. Encounters with Jesus ar...

John 10:10 reminds us of Jesus’ promise: “I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” Yet, experiencing this abundant life depends on how much we trust Him—living in the present instead of being stuck in the past or anxious about the future. In John 3:1-21, Nicodemus, a religious leader, meets Jesus at night, likely afraid of being seen. He acknowledges Jesus as a teacher from G...

What happens when Jesus steps into our pain? The story of the widow of Nain reveals that when Christ enters the scene, nothing remains the same. A grieving widow walked behind the bier carrying her only son’s lifeless body. Her future, once fragile, now seemed hopeless. And then Jesus showed up. With deep compassion, He spoke to the widow: "Do not weep." Then, in a moment that defied all expectati...

As one year ends and another begins, it’s natural to reflect and consider what’s next. But what if the most important decision for the new year isn’t about resolutions or ambitions, but about who or what we choose to follow? This reflection reminds us of a timeless truth: the invitation of Jesus Christ to follow Him as the light of the world. In John 8:12, Jesus proclaimed, “I am the light of the...

The King who serves, the Servant who reigns: Jesus redefines greatness in a world of power and pride. Throughout the Bible, Jesus is repeatedly identified as a king. The prophets of the Old Testament painted vivid pictures of His sovereignty. Daniel’s vision described Him as one "given authority, glory, and sovereign power" with a kingdom that will never end (Daniel 7:13-14). In Revelation, Jesus...

When we think of Jesus, what image comes to mind? For some, it’s a gentle teacher; for others, a powerful Saviour. Yet, much like a Rubik’s Cube, the many facets of Jesus—King, Friend, Saviour, Teacher—interweave into a multidimensional, vibrant whole. Each face, each role, reveals a deeper truth about Him. But what happens when we limit Jesus to only the aspects that feel convenient or comfortabl...

As the Christmas season draws near, many of us are caught up in traditions—the twinkling lights, the carols, the familiar sight of the baby in a manger. While these are beautiful symbols of joy and hope, they can sometimes obscure a deeper truth: Christmas is not just about a birth. It is about the arrival of a King. This King is unlike any other. He did not come for wealth, power, or glory as the...

In a quiet room filled with expectant faces, a woman stepped forward carrying an alabaster jar, a vessel filled with precious, fragrant oil. She walked to Jesus, broke the jar, and poured its contents over His head in a stunning act of devotion. This story, nestled in Mark 14:3, is more than just an anecdote; it is an invitation to a life of wholehearted worship. The alabaster jar was not just a c...

A call to worship and service. There’s a profound picture painted in Scripture: God enthroned, with the earth as His footstool. This image, both humbling and majestic, invites us to examine what it means to worship at the feet of our Creator. Worship, after all, isn’t simply a song or a ritual—it’s an act of surrender, a declaration of who God is and who we are before Him. In biblical times, falli...