Podcasts from the Presbyterian Church in Ireland

‘Music in the local church’ was originally developed as a three week course, but this is the supersonic version in two seminars. To get the balance of the material, it is best to come to both sessions, if possible, on Tuesday and Wednesday afternoon. Part 2 (Wednesday afternoon) will look at choosing songs, rehearsing and arranging music for congregational worship. There will be time for Q&A,...

Along with millions of others, we believe that sport is something to celebrate and enjoy. God has created each one of us with gifts and abilities to glorify and worship Him in all areas of our lives, including sport (Romans 12:1-2). Sport can also be a challenging environment as a Christian. How can we encourage sportspeople to see the opportunity they have to worship God in sport and to point oth...

This session will support, equip and inspire those who recognise God’s heart for families within their churches. We will consider what the scriptural responsibility of the church family is. Based on in-depth research amongst churches and Christian families, we will explore a wealth of practical ideas for how churches can best support discipleship in the home context. We will also explore together...

As disciples of Jesus Christ, we are followers and learners of a good shepherd who is our perfect model of care. But is ‘caring’ not just for the specialists? What does Paul mean when he writes to the Corinthians of ‘every member care’ in the body of Christ? And what would it look like in practice? This seminar and discussion aims to consider how we can grow in what Jesus called the defining chara...

The world has changed and so has mission. In this seminar, we will look at some of the changes affecting mission today, and examine our role in getting our own congregations excited about mission. We will share our own experiences with ‘missionaries’ and teams, and ask how we can make mission a more integral part of our church life. We will look at how we can better support the missionaries we alr...

Few subjects cause as much disharmony in the church as the issue of music and praise. But is it all purely a matter of taste? Are there theological considerations we need to apply? What about the non-musical elements of worship? Given the strong emphasis on preaching in our tradition, and the time spent by preachers in preparing this aspect of the service, how much time should we spend putting tog...

The rapid changes in our culture often leave Christians feeling confused and vulnerable. We need to raise up disciples of all ages who can think biblically about the issues of our time so that they can serve God faithfully and share the gospel confidently. We need to get beneath the surface of how people live and speak to understand how behaviour reflects ultimate beliefs that are either true or f...

When God made human beings He made us with a very specific purpose in mind. He made us “in His image” to show the world what He is like. When Jesus developed the theme with His disciples He told them that they were “the light of the world.” For too long the image has been hidden away…the light has been kept under a bowl. In this seminar we will be thinking about how our churches can become discipl...

We all share the desire to see the Christian faith passed on to the next generation. But how does disciple-making in the family context take place most effectively? How can parents strike a balance between supporting their child’s developing faith whilst juggling the pressures of everyday living? How can churches best support and equip parents in this vital task? What role do salaried staff play i...

Everyday disciples are not immune to illness, and struggle. But is pastoral care just for the minister and elders? Or for trained professionals? What does it look like to restore care which not only loves, but equips and builds disciples in your local church? The purpose of this afternoon seminar is to: • Apply, through small group discussion and Q&A, what has been covered in the morning ‘Disc...

‘Music in the local church’ was originally developed as a three week course, but this is the supersonic version in two seminars. To get the balance of the material, it is best to come to both sessions, if possible, on Tuesday and Wednesday afternoon. Part 1 (Tuesday afternoon) is designed to help musicians and leaders with issues which can get in the way of public worship. It will touch on the rol...

What is your gender? Facebook suggests 50 possible responses to that question, from ‘agender’ to ‘trans man’. Homosexuality and transgenderism are commonplace in contemporary media and the prevailing story is of liberation of misunderstood communities from discrimination. The pace of change in social attitudes has been breathtaking, leaving the church seemingly out of touch – the foremost of the p...

There’s no doubt that sport is a massive part of our culture. More than 10 million people play competitive sport in 150,000 clubs and teams across the UK. The call from Jesus Christ in Matthew 28 is clear – “Go and make disciples of all nations...” The question is, how can your church engage with those from this 10-million plus mission field who live near you so that sportspeople everywhere hear t...

This session will support, equip and inspire those who recognise God’s heart for families within their churches. We will consider what the scriptural responsibility of the church family is. Based on in-depth research amongst churches and Christian families, we will explore a wealth of practical ideas for how churches can best support discipleship in the home context. We will also explore together...

Many years ago, the leadership team of Perimeter Church realised that personal, life-on-life missional discipleship was accounting for a unique and unmatched depth of spiritual growth and heart for outreach within the individuals involved. With 50 years of discipleship experience, Randy will share some of his key learnings regarding life-on-life missional discipleship and how it can transform your...

As disciples of Jesus Christ, we are followers and learners of a good shepherd who is our perfect model of care. But is ‘caring’ not just for the specialists? What does Paul mean when he writes to the Corinthians of ‘every member care’ in the body of Christ? And what would it look like in practice? This seminar and discussion aims to consider how we can grow in what Jesus called the defining chara...

The world has changed and so has mission. In this seminar, we will look at some of the changes affecting mission today, and examine our role in getting our own congregations excited about mission. We will share our own experiences with ‘missionaries’ and teams, and ask how we can make mission a more integral part of our church life. We will look at how we can better support the missionaries we alr...

Few subjects cause as much disharmony in the church as the issue of music and praise. But is it all purely a matter of taste? Are there theological considerations we need to apply? What about the non-musical elements of worship? Given the strong emphasis on preaching in our tradition, and the time spent by preachers in preparing this aspect of the service, how much time should we spend putting tog...

The rapid changes in our culture often leave Christians feeling confused and vulnerable. We need to raise up disciples of all ages who can think biblically about the issues of our time so that they can serve God faithfully and share the gospel confidently. We need to get beneath the surface of how people live and speak to understand how behaviour reflects ultimate beliefs that are either true or f...

When God made human beings He made us with a very specific purpose in mind. He made us “in His image” to show the world what He is like. When Jesus developed the theme with His disciples He told them that they were “the light of the world.” For too long the image has been hidden away…the light has been kept under a bowl. In this seminar we will be thinking about how our churches can become discipl...

We all share the desire to see the Christian faith passed on to the next generation. But how does disciple-making in the family context take place most effectively? How can parents strike a balance between supporting their child’s developing faith whilst juggling the pressures of everyday living? How can churches best support and equip parents in this vital task? What role do salaried staff play i...

‘On being human’ is a series of six thought-provoking seminars that provide an opportunity to reflect on what it means to be a human being in the 21st Century. Part of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland’s Church in the Public Square series [ http://www.presbyterianireland.org/publicsquare ], ‘On being human’ draws on the expertise of academics and professionals working in a variety of disciplines...

‘On being human’ is a series of six thought-provoking seminars that provide an opportunity to reflect on what it means to be a human being in the 21st Century. Part of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland’s Church in the Public Square series [ http://www.presbyterianireland.org/Utility/About-Us/Councils/General-Council/Church-in-the-Public-Square.aspx ], ‘On being human’ draws on the expertise of ac...

‘On being human’ is a series of six thought-provoking seminars that provide an opportunity to reflect on what it means to be a human being in the 21st Century. Part of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland’s Church in the Public Square series [ http://www.presbyterianireland.org/Utility/About-Us/Councils/General-Council/Church-in-the-Public-Square.aspx ], ‘On being human’ draws on the expertise of ac...