Viva Vineyard Church

We unpack Matthew 7:7-12 and ask, Are there areas of life where you’ve stopped asking of God? Maybe you’ve gone down the DIY route? Where are you at in terms of your vulnerability with God? Do you need to give yourself space and permission to lament your way back to worship?

Jesus is clear, Do not judge. But what exactly is he saying? Is he calling his followers to stop thinking? To stop discerning who can be trusted or can't? As always the way Jesus is calling his followers to live is radical but it's radical like an open prison door. 

In the secret place we learn what is truly of value. As we experience our Father God we realise the truth of what Jesus said in John 17:3 “This is eternal life to know God.” There is nothing greater than knowing God but only time in the very presence of that God will convince you of that fact. In the secret place we change how we invest. Our eyes shift in focus. Our treasure is no longer the secur...

What are the barriers that are stopping you from really spending time with God? Here are three that need our attention: shame, religiousness and rebellion. And Jesus has a way through each one in a prayer he taught his followers to pray.

How can we stop settling for snacks and power bars and actually sit down have a meal with God? Well, it takes T.I.M.E.

Jesus flips the script on prayer. Public, showy religious, seen needs to go. But what goes in its place? How do you get motivated to pursue something no one else sees? 

Christmas is full of messages about joy and peace. But we're never given a good reason why. In short, we want the emotions of Christmas without looking at the why. What would happen if we did? 

On this Sunday, we reflected on the Viva dream and Moses' packing decision. 

Jesus assumed his followers would fast. Why? How does going without food help deepen your walk with God?

Jesus is famous for telling us to love our enemies. It's a great idea until you actually have an enemy. How, in the real world, is it possible to not lash out but love?  

People living in the kingdom of God don't need the puff and bluster of religious language and big impressive oaths. When each person is honest in their intentions we are free to trust each other. How good is that! Matthew 5:33-37

What do we do when we know we need to move on, to get going into the next stage of life, new season, new thing but somehow our hearts feel stuck? For many of us, for our families, our communities and even our countries are facing very significant points of transition - personal transitions - loss of a loved one, new job, loss of job, loss of mobility, transition out of lockdown, transitions econom...

"You could be forgiven for thinking that this talk is for the married, previously married or remarried but if you're not in any of those categories stay with me because there are nuggets in Jesus teaching that actually apply to all of us wherever you are in the relational spectrum." The question is this, Are your intimate relationships ones of consumption or covenant? 

Coldplay asks a good question, How in the world I am going to see you as my brother and not my enemy? This question haunts our world. Violence, hatred, rejection, cold shouldering, trolling and cynicism. Does Jesus have any hope to bring to a world in this kind of pain? 

Life can be terrifyingly fragile. Especially if you're in a place where all your comfort and security have been removed and you don't know where your next meal is coming from. But when things get better we can forget that fragility and our need for God.  God knows that about us. So he put in the calendar of his people one week a year where he commanded his people to camp and to party and to r...

40 million people today are trapped in slavery. Does God care? And if he does, is he doing anything about it?  Jo French-Morales shares about her time serving with International Justice Mission in Guatemala and the heart of God for justice for the poor and oppressed. She shared this Franciscan Blessing at the end, which we've included here: “May God bless you with discomfort at easy answers,...

Did Jesus come to start a new religion? Or what? 

Followers of Jesus are to the world what salt is to food. As someone who couldn't eat salt for many years, Sarah knows a little about how important this stuff is and why Jesus thought it'd be a really helpful word picture for Jesus' new followers to understand their identity and purpose.

Jesus’ ministry has launched. He’s preaching his slogan, Repent for the Kingdom of God is here. He’s gathering a community of followers. He’s healing people like crazy. It’s beginning to look like a new Israel is being formed. He’s passed through the waters. He’s gone through the wilderness. He’s gathering a community. Just like God did with Israel under Moses. We can imagine some of the questions...

Today we zone in on Jesus’ message. If Jesus was a brand, what was his tag? What was his slogan that summed it all up? What was Jesus’ “Just do it”, Jesus’ “I’m lovin’ it” Jesus “It’s more fun in the Philippines” Jesus’ “Aussie kids are Weetbix kids” A good slogan captures the essence of a company’s brand. It engages us emotionally. And it also involves a clear call to action. What would you say w...

Early on in Matthew's account of Jesus' life he describes how Jesus is "healing every disease and sickness among the people." Guest speaker Phil Henry asks, Why was Jesus' ministry marked by healing? What might that mean for us today? Does Jesus still heal today? If so, how? 

Jesus is led into the wilderness to be tested. Why? What possible purpose could God have for leading his Son into lockdown?

In Jesus, God is doing a new thing and it's immersive and life changing. Drew Williams is the speaker. 

Tim Watkinson shares about a simple spiritual practice of Centering Prayer that saved his sanity.

Disruption. It's everywhere. How are you responding? Trying to flee it? Quash it? Accept it by faith? At a time of real upheaval we celebrate Christmas in July and find the ancient story of Jesus' birth speaking crystal clear into today.