Philippians #7 - Pressing Toward the Goal

Sunday LivestreamPhilippians Series
Written By Matt Edmundson

YouTube Video of the Church Service

Time Stamps

00:00 Welcome

03:04 Main Message with Dan Orange

25:08 Conversation Street

30:00 Balancing Effort, Rest, and Standing Firm

35:00 Dealing with the Past and Emotional Healing

40:00 Daily Rhythms and Spiritual Practices

45:00 Protecting the Heart and God's Pursuit

49:00 Conclusion and Notices

The Race Worth Running

Ever looked at your faith journey and thought, "This feels more like a marathon than a Parkrun"? You're not alone. At Crowd this week, we carried on our journey through Philippians - a letter that's got some helpful things to say about keeping going when life gets tough.

More Than Just Natural Talent

Anna and Will kicked us off with an embarrassing javelin story, but it got us thinking about what real training looks like. Take Usain Bolt - he's naturally rapid, but did you know he trained six days a week, 11 months a year? 90 minutes in the gym, three hours total exercise daily. He didn't just turn up and win gold medals.

It's a bit like that with faith. Some people seem to have it naturally sorted, but real growth? That takes showing up, day after day.

God's Running Towards You

While we're pursuing God, He's actually pursuing us. It's like you're running towards the finish line, and the prize is running towards you. Which definitely takes the pressure off, doesn't it? You're not trying to earn God's love - you're responding to it.

“We run towards this goal, but God is running towards us too. God pursues us”
— Dan Orange

Better Together

One thing we love about Crowd is that we're all at different points. Some of us are just curious about Jesus, and others have been following Him for years. But there's something powerful about figuring it out together. No competition, just community.

When The Past Won't Stay Past

Paul, in his letter, talks about forgetting what lies behind (Philippians 3:13). But let's be honest - it's not as simple as just deciding to forget stuff, is it? Especially when it's painful. Anna shared about going through pregnancy loss and how you don't just "get over" things like that. Moving forward means processing properly, not pretending it never happened.

“We can learn from one another. We can build each other up, train one another, pray for one another.”
— Dan Orange

Finding Your Rhythm

Life's got different seasons. Sometimes you're flat out - young kids, hectic work schedule, and so on. Other times, you're in more of a steady plod. The trick isn't sprinting constantly; it's finding a sustainable pace.

For some of us, that's using Crowd's daily devotional posts on Instagram as a way to connect with God. For others, it's setting aside more time. Whatever works for you, make it doable.

Your Next Step

Maybe reading this has got you thinking about your own journey. Whether you're just starting to explore faith or you've been at it for years, remember - you're not in this alone. God's not waiting at the finish line with a stopwatch; He's running toward you with open arms.

Want to hear more? Listen to the entire message by watching the video or listening to the podcast above.

“God absolutely thinks you are worthy of pursuing ... just dwell on that very fact each day.”
— Will Sopwith
 

RECENT EPISODES

RECENT LIVESTREAMS

More from this series

Featured
Philippians # 9 - Being Content
Philippians # 9 - Being Content

From his prison cell, Paul wrote about a secret to contentment that had nothing to do with circumstances and everything to do with Christ. This week, Jack Mariner unpacks this radical message that cuts right through our consumer culture, challenging how we think about satisfaction, happiness, and what we really need. In Conversation Street, we tackle those tricky questions: Can you be content and still want change? What's the difference between contentment and happiness? Whether you're feeling satisfied with life or struggling to find peace, this message offers a fresh perspective on true contentment.

Read More →
Philippians #8 - Finding Peace When Your Mind Won't Shut Up
Philippians #8 - Finding Peace When Your Mind Won't Shut Up

You know that feeling when your mind just won't shut up? When one anxious thought leads to another, and before you know it, you're spiralling? This Sunday at Crowd, Sharon Edmundson tackled this head-on, sharing her own journey with anxiety - from childhood fears to adult struggles - while unpacking some surprisingly practical wisdom from Philippians 4.

Read More →
Philippians #7 - Pressing Toward the Goal
Philippians #7 - Pressing Toward the Goal

While we're pursuing God, He's actually pursuing us. It's like running towards a finish line and realising the prize is running towards you. Take Usain Bolt. He's naturally rapid, but did you know he trained six days a week, 11 months a year to become the fastest man alive? Sometimes we think faith's like that - all about our effort, our training, our dedication. But what if it's less about performing for God and more about responding to a love that's already chasing us down?

Read More →
Philippians #6 - The Pursuit of Knowing Christ
Philippians #6 - The Pursuit of Knowing Christ

Dave takes us through the next part of Philippians, cutting through the noise to get to something real - what happens when knowing Jesus becomes your main pursuit? In Conversation Street, Matt and Jan unpacked what this looks like in real life - from Monday morning meetings to Friday night takeaways.

Read More →
Philippians #5 - Service & Sacrifice
Philippians #5 - Service & Sacrifice

Today is Remembrance Sunday. Andy Kettle explores themes of service and sacrifice through the lens of biblical figures Timothy and Epaphroditus, drawing parallels with the selflessness of soldiers commemorated on this day. Andy shares the inspiring story of Woodbine Willie, a chaplain known for his compassion during World War I.

Read More →
Philippians #4 - The Name Of Jesus
Philippians #4 - The Name Of Jesus

This service is a lively discussion about the significance of names and reputations. Will looks at the power and influence of the name of Jesus, drawing from Philippians. He explores how names shape our perceptions and the ultimate authority of Jesus' name.

Read More →
Philippians #3 - Living Worthy of the Gospel
Philippians #3 - Living Worthy of the Gospel

Pete' Farrington explores the challenge of living a life worthy of the gospel and the profound themes of humility and sacrifice. The conversation looks into the significance of Christ's incarnation, the offence of the Gospel, and the transformative power of embracing God's principles.

Read More →
Philippians #2 - Joy in Adversity
Philippians #2 - Joy in Adversity

Mark Buchanan explores the theme of "Joy in Adversity," drawing insights from the Book of Philippians. He shares his perspective on finding joy through challenging times by witnessing God's work in adversity. Mark recounts personal experiences, including his own trials, to illustrate how faith can transform difficult situations. The conversation also digs into the importance of community support, resilience, and the distinction between joy and happiness.

Read More →

At Crowd Church, we are committed to creating a space for you to explore the Christian faith, regardless of where you are on your faith journey.

What happens at Crowd Church?

Every week we livestream our online church service and release a new story on What’s The Story Podcast. We have weekly online community groups that meet up and all of that good stuff. You can find out more about everything that goes on at Crowd by browsing through this site, and you can reach out to us via our contact page.

Come and Join In!

Are you interested in joining in with what is happening here at Crowd? We would love to meet you!

Any questions? Please connect with us via our Contact Page, or via WhatsApp: +44 7984 530 429

Matt Edmundson
Previous

Philippians #8 - Finding Peace When Your Mind Won't Shut Up
Next

Philippians #6 - The Pursuit of Knowing Christ