The Renewal Podcast

What happens when life takes you in the opposite direction from the future you imagined? Joseph had dreams of a promising future. But in Genesis 37, his brothers' jealousy leads to betrayal, a pit, and a journey towards slavery in Egypt. In this message, Kamero explores The Pit and what Joseph's story reveals about jealousy, trusting God when life takes an unexpected turn, and the conseque...

Where does your strength come from when life gets difficult? In this message from Renewal Church Nairobi's Battle Ready series, Gerald explores what it means to stand firm in faith by drawing strength from Christ. Looking at Ephesians 6:10–18, we explore the armour of God, the victory Jesus accomplished at the cross, and the importance of Spirit-led prayer in sustaining our faith. Our strength...

Life is a war zone. But what are we actually fighting against? In this message from Renewal Church Nairobi's Praying Like Jesus series, we explore three battlegrounds: the internal struggles within us, the conflicts that threaten our relationships, and the spiritual battles we don't always see. Drawing from Scripture, this message challenges us to fight the good fight of faith, pursue unit...

Joseph's story begins with dreams, a father's favour, and a family already full of tension. In this opening message of our series on the story of Joseph, DJ Moz explores the background of Joseph's family in Genesis 37. We meet Joseph as a seventeen-year-old, discover the significance of his dreams and ornate robe, and see how favouritism and jealousy begin to divide the family. Before...

You don't call your father only when the car breaks down. So why does prayer so often work that way with God? In the first message of Praying Like Jesus , Mwende explores prayer as an ongoing relationship with the Father — not simply something we turn to when life goes wrong. We look at what it means to pray regularly, slow down, surrender our need for control, and trust God with the outcome....

What does following Jesus have to do with caring for the environment? Creation care is often treated as a separate conversation, but what if caring for the world around us is part of what it means to follow Jesus? In this standalone message, Mwangi explores the Christian calling to care for God's creation, reminding us that our faith should shape how we live, how we treat the world around us,...

As we wrap up our Philippians series, Adrian takes us through Philippians 4:10–19 and Paul's words about learning to be content — whether he has plenty or is in need. Contentment isn't determined by our circumstances, what we own, or how much we have. Paul says it is something he has learned through Jesus . The message also explores how contentment shapes the way we give, spend and live ge...

We've spent this series asking what it means to live The Jesus Way . Jesus ends the Sermon on the Mount with a call to actually put his words into practice. Two people hear the same words. Two houses face the same storm. But only one has a foundation that holds. In this final message, Mwangi asks: What are you building your life on? Whose wisdom are you trusting? And what will your life reveal...

Jesus talks about a narrow way and a broad way, but what does he actually mean? In Matthew 7:13–23, Debz explores the difference between outward religious practice and genuine heart transformation. Following Jesus isn't simply about being a “good person.” It's about becoming rooted in Christ and community and allowing that rootedness to produce good fruit in our lives. A message from The J...

What do you do when life feels unsettled? In Philippians 4:1–9, Paul speaks about strained relationships, anxiety, prayer, gentleness, and the peace of God. We may not always be able to change what's happening around us, but we can bring it to God. A message from our Philippians series. Scripture: Philippians 4:1–9

What if there’s more to our suffering than what we can see? In James 1, we’re challenged to look differently at the trials we face. Suffering is painful, but it can also become a place where our faith is tested, strengthened and formed. In this message, Arnold explores what it means to remain faithful when life is difficult, and how we can trust God even when we don’t understand what He is doing....

Jesus' command to “do to others what you would have them do to you” sounds familiar — but what if He is asking much more of us than simply being nice? In Matthew 7:7–12, Dr. Steve Lee explores what it means to move from a self-centered life to a self-giving life . Jesus calls us not merely to avoid harming others, but to actively seek their good. But that kind of love can feel risky. What if w...

Is Following Jesus Really Worth the Cost? | Philippians 3:4–21 | Philippians What does following Jesus actually cost? In Philippians 3, Paul looks at the things he once considered valuable and counts them as loss compared with knowing Christ. Gerald explores what it means to follow Jesus when doing so costs us something — our comfort, control, status, recognition or even things we once thought def...

“Do not judge” is one of Jesus’ most familiar teachings. But what did he actually mean? In Matthew 7:1–6, Jesus challenges us to look at ourselves before trying to correct someone else. Adrian explores the difference between judging someone and judging well , and why Jesus' teaching shouldn't be used to shut down accountability or protect hypocrisy. Jesus calls us to take him seriously wit...

What if joy isn't something we have to create for ourselves? In Philippians 2, Paul points us towards a different way of living — one shaped by Jesus. A life of humility, surrender, serving others and allowing the Holy Spirit to work in us. Waizeh explores what it means for the life of Jesus to be formed in us, and challenges us to ask where we might be invited to surrender, serve and become m...

What are you accumulating? What are you worried about? What has a grip on your heart? What are you carrying? And what are you seeking? In Matthew 6:19–34, Jesus speaks directly into the things that can quietly take over our lives — what we treasure, what we worry about, what we serve and what we spend our lives pursuing. In this message, Mwangi invites us to take an honest look at what is shaping...

Paul wrote Philippians from prison, yet his circumstances didn't stop him from finding joy. In Philippians 1:12–30, we see how God can work through circumstances we would never choose. Paul's imprisonment is helping spread the Gospel, strengthening the church and giving him an opportunity to remain faithful to Christ. This message explores what it means to have joy regardless — not because...

What if the biggest question isn't what you're doing, but who you're doing it for? In Matthew 6, Jesus speaks about giving, prayer and fasting — and challenges us to look beyond what people see to the motivations of our hearts. Adrian explores what it means to seek God rather than recognition, and how following Jesus means moving from wanting what God can give us to wanting God himself...

In this episode of After The Sermon , we continue the conversation around our Habakkuk series and wrestle with suffering, disappointment, doubt, and what it means to keep trusting God when life doesn't make sense. Habakkuk doesn't hide his questions from God. He brings his frustration and confusion honestly to Him—and discovers what it means to live by faith even when circumstances don&#39...

We were never meant to follow Jesus alone. Paul's letter to the Philippians begins with gratitude for a community that has shared in his journey, even through difficult circumstances. Writing from prison, Paul reflects on the people God has placed around him and expresses confidence in the work God is doing in their lives. In this opening message of our Philippians series, Mwangi explores how...

What if following Jesus means resisting the ways of the world around us? In Matthew 5:21–48, Jesus challenges the assumptions we can easily take for granted — about anger, relationships, revenge, and loving the people who are difficult to love. In this message, Faith explores just how counter-cultural Jesus' teaching in the Sermon on the Mount really is. The invitation isn't simply to agre...

What if knowing the Bible isn't the same as knowing God? In Matthew 22:29, Jesus challenges the religious leaders of His day because they did not understand either the Scriptures or the power of God . In this message, Adrian wraps up our Vineyard Values series by exploring what it means to live as people shaped by both Spirit and Word . The Word of God gives us truth, forms us, corrects us and...

What does it look like to live in a way that actually makes a difference? In Matthew 5:13–16, Jesus calls his followers to be salt of the earth and light of the world . This isn't an invitation to retreat from the world, but to live faithfully within it — allowing our lives, choices and actions to point people towards God. In this message, Kevin explores what it means to say yes to that invita...

The Sermon on the Mount begins with a surprising announcement: God's Kingdom has arrived, and it invites us into a completely different way of living. In the opening message of The Jesus Way series, Debs explores Jesus' teaching in Matthew 5:1–12, showing that the Beatitudes are not simply ideals for a future heaven, but a vision for life under the reign of King Jesus today. Discover what...

What if following Jesus was never meant to be a spectator sport? One of the defining values of the Vineyard movement is simple: Everybody Gets to Play. God doesn't reserve His mission for pastors, leaders, or a select few. Through the Holy Spirit, every follower of Jesus is invited to participate in what God is doing in the world. In this message, we explore what it means to move from watching...