Crowd Church Talks
Series: Becoming Whole | Genesis | Philippians | Origin | What does the Bible say about? | Mark’s Gospel | Alpha Course Online
#40 Is Marriage Outdated or Just Misunderstood?
What makes marriage different from just living together? Matt Edmundson tackles this head-on, sharing how his broken thinking about marriage was transformed by understanding God's original design. From leaving and holding fast to becoming one flesh, discover why covenant marriage isn't outdated \- it's timeless. Includes honest conversation about complicated situations, the difference between covenant and contract, and practical wisdom from 27 years of marriage.
#39 What Makes Someone a Friend of God
Dave Connolly explores what it means to move from being God's servant to becoming his friend. Through biblical examples like Moses and Abraham, discover how the God who created the universe genuinely desires a personal relationship with you. Real friendship requires investment, trust, and honesty - qualities God demonstrates toward us and wants us to extend to others. This isn't about religious performance but about believing God's heart toward you and responding to his invitation for a genuine relationship.
#38 Why God Chose to Adopt You (And Why it Changes Everything)
Matt Edmundson explores why God uses adoption language to describe our relationship with him, revealing how Roman adoption was actually more secure than natural birth. When you understand you're not accidentally God's child but intentionally chosen and permanently his, it changes everything about how you approach faith, failure, and daily life. Stop performing for acceptance you already have, and start living from the security of being his forever.
The Ultimate Fresh Start —The Year of Jubilee (Sacred Rhythms Part 5)
Imagine the government cancelling your mortgage, clearing your debts, and giving you a fresh start - for free. Sharon Edmundson explores the Year of Jubilee, God's radical 50-year reset system that prevented permanent poverty and gave people hope. Discover how Jesus transformed this ancient practice into everyday freedom, and find practical ways to experience your own jubilee reset in relationships, with God, and in how you use what you've been given.
When Being Connected Doesn't Stop You Feeling Alone (Sacred Rhythms Part 4)
Dan Orange explores how the original Pentecost offers solutions for modern loneliness. Despite being globally connected, we often feel isolated and unheard. Discover how authentic community requires more than a shared location - it needs a shared purpose, genuine authenticity, and sacrificial first fruits. Real togetherness costs us our independence but offers something our souls actually crave.
The Unleavened Life: Finding Freedom By Carrying Less (Sacred Rhythms Part 3)
Pete Farrington explores the ancient Feast of Unleavened Bread as a model for spiritual freedom. Rather than just decluttering our homes, Pete challenges us to identify what's spiritually mastering our hearts. Using the story of the rich young man and his own struggles with phone habits, Pete offers practical wisdom for discovering "superior joy in Christ" over temporary satisfactions.
Ancient Wisdom for Modern Chaos (Sacred Rhythms Part 2)
Feeling overwhelmed by constant negative news and global uncertainty? Ade Birkby explores how biblical wisdom offers a completely different approach to chaos than our anxiety-driven culture. Through personal experience with his wife's chronic illness, discover three ancient principles that bring peace without denying reality - viewing uncertainty through eternal perspective, choosing what shapes your mind, and embracing simple rest over complex holidays.
When Life Rewrites Your Summer Plans (Sacred Rhythms Part 1)
When life disrupted Matt Edmundson's carefully planned summer rhythms - including his annual retreat to a US lake house - a cancer diagnosis taught him something profound about rest. Discover how God's ancient threefold rhythm of daily purpose, weekly Sabbath, and seasonal celebration offers a sustainable alternative to our modern cycle of burnout and escape. Sacred rhythms aren't about perfect circumstances but divine appointments that can happen anywhere - even hospital waiting rooms.
#37 Bible Based Nutrition and What Jesus Teaches us About Food (Body Wholeness Part 4)
Dan Orange shares how a doctor's warning about cholesterol led to a deeper understanding of biblical nutrition. Rather than rules and restrictions, discover how food reveals God's creativity and how honouring him with our bodies is about stewardship, not perfection. From saying grace with fresh eyes to building community around the dinner table, this talk transforms how we think about what we eat.
#36 Biblical Insights into Exercise & Sleep (Body Wholeness Part 3)
Former PE teacher Mike Harris challenges our culture's approach to exercise and sleep. Rather than seeing them as ways to increase our value, what if they're opportunities to worship God with bodies that are already infinitely precious? Discover how changing your "why" transforms everything - from morning workouts becoming acts of worship to sleepless nights becoming opportunities for deeper trust.
#35 Faith vs. Medicine? The Bible on Healing & Chronic Illness
Jenny Mariner explores the complex reality of healing and chronic illness from a biblical perspective. She unpacks why God sometimes heals miraculously and sometimes doesn't, how faith and medicine work together, and what it means to trust God when healing doesn't come. Through honest conversation about personal struggles and scripture, discover how to find hope in the "messy middle" between God's promises and life's harsh realities.
#34 Gods Radical Truth About Your Body (Becoming Whole Series)
Discover why your body matters more than you think in God's design. Moving beyond the extremes of body worship and body denial, explore the radical biblical truth that your physical self is a temple of the Holy Spirit, bearing God's image. Learn practical ways to honour God with your body while finding freedom from cultural pressures and wrong thinking about physical existence.
#33 Emotional Resilience and How To Bounce Back Stronger
Discover what emotional resilience really means beyond motivational clichés. Dave Connolly unpacks Paul's powerful testimony in 2 Corinthians 4, revealing that true strength isn't about never breaking—it's about carrying extraordinary treasure in ordinary, cracked clay jars.
Learn why acknowledging struggles rather than masking them is essential for genuine resilience, how having a mission bigger than yourself fuels perseverance, and the liberating difference between healed scars and open wounds.
This honest exploration challenges the "performance gospel" that keeps us isolated in our struggles and offers a hope with substance, not wishful thinking, but confident expectation based on who God is.
#32 Rediscovering the Power of Sabbath for Body and Soul
In our badge-of-honour busy culture, the ancient practice of Sabbath offers a radical alternative. Far more than just "having Sundays off," true Sabbath is a God-designed rhythm of rest that nurtures our whole being. This week’s service explores the biblical foundations of the Sabbath, debunks common misconceptions, and examines how intentional rest can transform our mental health in an increasingly connected world. With practical tips for implementation and real-life examples from our church family, discover why Sabbath isn't just another commitment to squeeze in—it's a life-giving gift that reminds us we're loved for who we are, not what we produce. Perhaps the real question isn't whether you have time to Sabbath, but whether you can afford not to.
#31 Biblical Hope That Transforms Mental Wellbeing
In this week’s Crowd talk, Will Sopwith explores how biblical hope differs from mere wishful thinking. Through the remarkable story of the 2010 Chilean mining disaster, he illustrates how hope becomes most powerful in our darkest moments.
Unlike the fleeting optimism our culture often promotes, biblical hope functions as "an anchor for the soul" – steady and unmovable regardless of circumstances. Will shows how this transformative hope can grow through suffering, become a daily discipline, and sustain us even on those inexplicable "black dog days" when motivation vanishes.
Discover practical ways to cultivate authentic hope and how community carries us when our personal reserves are depleted.
#30 How to Renew Your Mind and Transform Your Life
Can a Christian still battle negative thought patterns? This week, Sharon unpacks what true mind renewal looks like - a process far deeper than self-help techniques. Discover the biblical framework for transforming your thinking and why many believers still struggle despite years of faith.
Through real-life stories and practical wisdom, learn how to partner with the Holy Spirit to rewire destructive thought patterns. This isn't about trying harder but allowing God to update your mental "software." If you've felt trapped by the same fears, insecurities or harmful beliefs, this honest exploration offers genuine hope for lasting freedom.
#29 Mental Well-Being Through Cultivating the Mind of Christ
Ever wondered how Jesus slept peacefully during a raging storm while experienced fishermen feared for their lives? This thought-provoking blog explores how cultivating "the mind of Christ" transforms our mental well-being. Not through positive thinking or changed circumstances, but through accessing God's perspective via the Holy Spirit. Discover the profound difference between worldly calm and biblical "shalom" – a deep-seated wholeness that transcends our situations. Through personal stories, practical steps and honest conversations about 3am anxieties, learn how to replace fear-based thought patterns with God's truth. Perfect for anyone seeking authentic peace that doesn't depend on perfect circumstances.
#28 How Biblical Thankfulness Rewires Your Brain & Transforms Mental Health
Biblical thankfulness goes far beyond positive thinking or toxic positivity. In this week’s livestream, we explore the neurological science behind gratitude and how it physically rewires your brain for improved mental health. Learn why giving thanks "in" all circumstances (not "for" them) creates a foundation for wholeness that transcends your situation. Through five practical disciplines, find out how genuine thankfulness anchored in God's unchanging character—not your changing circumstances—can transform your entire outlook on life. A refreshingly honest look at cultivating gratitude that works in both good times and challenging seasons.
#27 How to Rewire Your Anxious Mind
In this week’s services, we look at anxiety through a biblical lens, discover how Jesus himself navigated overwhelming worry in Gethsemane. Beyond the well-worn "be anxious for nothing" platitude, we unpack practical strategies for transforming anxious thoughts through prayer, mindfulness and intentional focus. Learn why feeling anxious isn't sinful, how to shape worries into prayers, and experience the peace that "surpasses all understanding" even when circumstances remain unchanged. Perfect for anyone seeking authentic Christian approaches to mental wellbeing in our information-overloaded world.
#26 Letting Go of the Past and Finding Freedom in Christ
In this week’s service, Pastor Dave Connolly explores the liberating power of "forgetting what lies behind" from Philippians 3. Using the compelling analogy of marathon runners who stumble when looking backwards, Dave challenges us to fix our gaze firmly on Jesus rather than our past hurts and disappointments. Through practical wisdom and biblical truth, he dismantles cultural messages like "follow your heart" that keep us trapped, offering instead a vision of actively letting go while pressing forward. This isn't about denying painful experiences but choosing to release their power over us. Whatever you're facing today, Jesus stands ready, not just at the finish line but alongside you, coaching and believing in you every step of the way.