SPARK Youth

Isn't it egotistical for God to demand that we worship him? Why should we worship God? Here is as Biblical response from one of our SPARK leaders, Rhiannon. If you have any questions please send them to our Youth Pastor Mike at mike.taylor@fields.org.au

How can we instill within our children a lasting faith that perseveres against the tides of secularism, doubt, and fleeting temptations? According to the authors, humanly speaking, the best thing we can do according to the book Sticky Faith is “developing a clear and honest understanding of both the gospel and biblical faith. As our kids are led into an awareness of their significant role in the k...

I remember on the night before catching a plane to Tasmania, I realised I hadn't washed any of my clothes so I had to do a late-night wash. The next morning I had to put my wet clothes in a garbage bag and take them on the plane. Being underprepared is a horrible feeling. Especially when you know, it could have easily been avoided. In this passage, Jesus, draws near the end of his public ministry,...

What does it take to be a great leader? In this sermon we see how, unlike the Pharisees and Scribes, Jesus, the True Shepherd, puts the sheep first. And how this provides a model for us. If you have any questions please message them to mike.taylor@fields.org.au. 

San Francisco’s Millennium Tower is in trouble. The 58-story tower is home to some of the city’s wealthiest people, its apartments among the most expensive and desirable in the city. But recently its residents have begun to notice some troubling issues. The first warning of the tower’s problems came when residents noticed floor-to-ceiling cracks running along the walls of the underground parking g...

Imagine being in your bed and waking to see the side of your house ripped apart and your belongings get swept out into a whirlwind and destroyed right in front of you, and just as you feel its pull dragging you and your bed along the floor towards the hurricane, and you fear you are about to be destroyed, you hear a loud booming voice, like lightning bellowing out and calling your name. You would...

No one wants to be thought of as a fool. As someone who makes really silly decisions. We all want to be wise. Have you ever met someone who just seemed to make really good decisions or live really well and thought. Wow they are wise. I wish I was as wise as them. You could be the smartest person in your school. And have read all the books that mankind has ever written, and still not possess wisdom...

At some point or other, suffering will touch our lives and all of us will feel Adrift, in a boat, in a storm, without an anchor, feeling alone and hopeless. How we bear up in these moments. And our success in compassionately supporting others who are suffering ultimately depends on grounding ourselves in a hope strong enough to hold up when its tested, before trajedy strikes. So, where can we turn...

Suffering is everywhere. Tens of thousands of people die every day in unexpected tragedies, traffic accidents and cancer. That is comparable to the population of a small city being swept away every day, leaving families and friends devastated in the wake. It’s the numbers of people who suffer is overwhelming. Enormous numbers of deaths happen in one massive event such as the 1970 Bhola cyclone in...

What makes Christianity special?  There is a Chinese proverb that says “There are many paths to the top of the mountain, but the (mountain top) view is ALWAYS the same.” No matter how different the various religions or belief systems seem to be, they all lead to the same destination. This is similar to the ancient Hindu story where a King gathered blind men and asked them to describe an eleph...

It's popular to say that It's arrogant to say that there is just one true faith? To say everyone’s beliefs are equal seems very tolerant. But we could only hold the belief that all religions equally lead to God if we have failed to listen and understand each major religion. Islam says that Jesus was not crucified. Christianity says He was. Only one of us can be right. Judaism says Jesus was not th...

One of the most common reasons people leave Christianity or publicly oppose it is because they are personally disappointed with hypocrites who claim to be Christian. For example, Helen, a law student said "I have to doubt any religion that has so many fanatics and hypocrites, There are so many people who are not religious at all who are more kind and even more moral than many of the Christians I k...

Some sources suggest that there has been a 30% increase in mental health disorders due to the pandemic. If you speak to psychologists or GP’s they may tell you that it feels more like a 50% increase. There is more talk about anxiety and mental illness at the moment than any time I can remember. We have all experienced it at some level. The question is when we start worrying about the future, what...

Every major religion sees prayer as important. But are all the chants of the Buddhist, the prayers of the Muslim, the request of the Jew, the cries of the Hindu and prayers directed to Mary and the saints all heard and answered by God? What difference does it make in knowing God is your Father and Jesus is your saviour? And what does God wants us praying for anyway? Have a listen to find out. And...

It's common for humans to overestimate their own qualities and abilities, relative to others, and in so doing, rate themselves more highly than others.  Scientists call this the above average affect. This is especially true when it comes to whether or not we think we can get to heaven by our good works.  What about you? If you died tonight, would you be in heaven? Why or why not? Jesus i...

In terms of influence and achievement, Jesus is the greatest man who ever lived. He never went to university, never got a degree, never got married, never traveled far from his home. Yet, more books, songs, paintings, and movies have been made about him than anyone in all of history. And nowhere else, does Jesus give as clear and comprehensive teaching about what it means to be His disciple then t...

In this Q and A video I talked to Grace and Young, some of our SPARK parents, about the recently released Netflix documentary on Michael Jordan and discussed the question 'Is it ok for a Christian to be ambitious?' and 'Can a Christian be a top athlete?' I hope you find it encouraging. If you have any questions please email Mike the Youth Minister at mike.taylor@fields.org.au

64% of all lifetime Christians become Christian before 20 and there’s a drastically lower rate of conversion over the age of 20. Only 20% of those who made a profession of faith as a child persevere as a Christian in early 20s. That means, 80% of those who made a profession of faith as a child are lost before they hit 20. The discipling of children to have a faith that perseveres is of the utmost...

We are skeptical of authority because often, people abuse their power. As Lord Acton famously said, “Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely.” How should Christians understand and relate to authority? Find out in this week's SPARK talk. If you have any questions please email mike.taylor@fields.org.au.

Many people who either leave Christianity or publically oppose it do so because they have been personally disappointed with Churches and Christians. Should the Christian life look different? If we’re saved by grace, how seriously should Christians take sin in their lives? If you have any questions please email our youth minister at mike.taylor@fields.org.au

There is an expression that goes ‘the grass is always greener on the other side’. It’s a way of describing the feeling that our life would be better if did this or that or if we were this or that. It's popular these days to say that Christianity is outdated. The temptation is to look for something new, something fresh, something enlightened, something impressive. Should we move on from Christianit...

Since the 1960s, Our attitudes towards sex have undergone a revolution. As people began to make freedom of expression the most important thing, sex was no longer viewed as something that should be kept special for marriage. Just as a fish is created to live in water, we best flourish when we live the way God designed us to. So what was God’s original intention for sex? Find out in this talk. If yo...

Amy Wheaton answers some parents questions on the topic ‘Raising Resilient Kids’.    Amy Wheaton is a Christian clinical psychologist with over ten years of experience specialising in child and adolescent mental health and well-being. If you have any questions please contact Mike the Youth Minister at mike.taylor@fields.org.au

If you have any questions please send them to mike.taylor@fields.org.au

If you have any questions please send them to mike.taylor@fields.org.au