Everyone wishes to know the joy of rest. But for many of us it is so elusive.   This message examines why we find rest so difficult to achieve and then considers the way that God leads us into deep rest in him.   We then conclude with practical steps we can take to enter into the rest God has provided for us.   MAIN TEXT Psalm 4:1-8   SPEAKER David Varney, Pastor Foundation Church Belfast   FOUNDATION CHURCH BELFAST Every Sunday 10:30am - 2d Knockwood Crescent, Belfast, BT5 6GE We are part of the Advance Movement of churches and the wider Newfrontiers family.

With so much injustice in the world, what does God do about it?   In Psalm 10 we are given a blueprint for lament - taking our cries for justice to God. The Psalm shows us what the wicked unjust are like under the surface, behaving as if there is no God.   However the Psalm also gives us hope. It calls upon the justice of God. God is near to the downtrodden, the oppressed and the abused. He promises to come in full fury against all oppression and evil.   Yet in the gospel, we are able to confront an uncomfortable truth - we have all been unjust towards other people in some shape or form. Only through the gospel of Jesus are we able to confess our own injustice as well as receive healing for injustice we have suffered at the hands of others.   MAIN TEXT Psalm 10:1-18   SPEAKER David Varney, Pastor Foundation Church Belfast   FOUNDATION CHURCH BELFAST Every Sunday 10:30am - 2d Knockwood Crescent, Belfast, BT5 6GE We are part of the Advance Movement of churches and the wider Newfrontiers family.

According to the Psalmist, God makes himself known to us in three ways: He is displayed in the skiesHe is defined in the wordHe is discerned in the heart  It is possible to know God through each of these ways, each one building upon the other.   MAIN TEXT Psalm 19:1-14   SPEAKER David Varney, Pastor Foundation Church Belfast   FOUNDATION CHURCH BELFAST Every Sunday 10:30am - 2d Knockwood Crescent, Belfast, BT5 6GE We are part of the Advance Movement of churches and the wider Newfrontiers family.

The end of the Book of Acts sees the Apostle Paul imprisoned on trial in Rome. Is this the biggest anti-climax in the Bible? Not in the slightest.   In fact, from prison, Paul is able to preach the good news of Jesus 'without hindrance.' He is chained up but the gospel message can never be chained up.   Arguably, it is from prison that Paul has the most influential time in his ministry. This is often the way things work in the kingdom of God.   In this final message in our Advancing the Gospel series, we draw hope from the experience of Paul. Because the gospel powerfully advances: We shall not be beat downWe shall attempt great things for God   MAIN TEXT Acts 28:17-31   SPEAKER David Varney, Pastor Foundation Church Belfast   FOUNDATION CHURCH BELFAST Every Sunday 10:30am - 2d Knockwood Crescent, Belfast, BT5 6GE We are part of the Advance Movement of churches and the wider Newfrontiers family.

Sermon by Mike Duff from Cornerstone Church Newcastle, as part of our eldership installation service.   MAIN TEXT Joshua 1:1-9   SPEAKER Mike Duff, Cornerstone Church Newcastle   FOUNDATION CHURCH BELFAST Every Sunday 10:30am - 2d Knockwood Crescent, Belfast, BT5 6GE We are part of the Advance Movement of churches and the wider Newfrontiers family.

A church without elders is incomplete, unhealthy, vulnerable. This is according to the Apostle Paul, who sought to appoint elders to lead and care for the churches.   In this message, we examine Paul's passionate message to the elders of the church in Ephesus as he concludes his third missionary journey.   Taking himself as an example, Paul teaches: Who elders are;What elders are like;What elders should do   As we move towards eldership elections at Foundation Church Belfast, this is a timely message for those in spiritual leadership or who feel called to it in the future.   MAIN TEXT Acts 20:17-38   SPEAKER David Varney, Pastor Foundation Church Belfast   FOUNDATION CHURCH BELFAST Every Sunday 10:30am - 2d Knockwood Crescent, Belfast, BT5 6GE We are part of the Advance Movement of churches and the wider Newfrontiers family.

Sermon from Marc Scheibe.   MAIN TEXT Matthew 11:1-30   SPEAKER Marc Scheibe   FOUNDATION CHURCH BELFAST Every Sunday 10:30am - 2d Knockwood Crescent, Belfast, BT5 6GE We are part of the Advance Movement of churches and the wider Newfrontiers family.

At Foundation Church Belfast we have a laser-like focus on the gospel of Jesus - the good news about what he has achieved on our behalf, and how we receive it by faith in him alone.   During his third missionary journey, Paul encounters so-called believers in the city of Ephesus. Something was awry with them. It turned out that they were believers in John the Baptist only; they had not heard the full gospel about Jesus.   This message challenges us that it is possible to be sincere and very religious, but yet not receive the salvation that Jesus offers. This is a problem as it creates a false sense of security that we are right before God.   The message ends with a call to trust in Jesus, to believe his word and experience his power.   MAIN TEXT Acts 19:1-20   SPEAKER David Varney, Pastor Foundation Church Belfast   FOUNDATION CHURCH BELFAST Every Sunday 10:30am - 2d Knockwood Crescent, Belfast, BT5 6GE We are part of the Advance Movement of churches and the wider Newfrontiers family.

We are heavily influenced by the culture we live in. We often don't realise how much we are shaped by our culture; how it shapes our values, aspirations, search for meaning.   As the church, we must be aware of the dominant culture around us, so that we may understand and articulate the Christian gospel to people in ways they can comprehend.   We see the Apostle Paul doing just that as he surveyed the great city of Athens during his second missionary journey.   Paul provides us with a clear framework for assessing and engaging with the dominant culture around us, whether in our own city, or further afield as we seek to advance the gospel of Jesus into a diverse world.   MAIN TEXT Acts 17:16-35   SPEAKER David Varney, Pastor Foundation Church Belfast   FOUNDATION CHURCH BELFAST Every Sunday 10:30am - 2d Knockwood Crescent, Belfast, BT5 6GE We are part of the Advance Movement of churches and the wider Newfrontiers family.

The gospel message is the same for all people - the message of God's saving work through Jesus. But the way the gospel comes to a person can vary widely.   In this bible text we see the gospel taking root in three diverse people: a successful businesswoman, a military veteran-turned security contractor, and a demonically oppressed slave girl.   Each of these people needed the life-giving power of Jesus; yet how they received it depended on their circumstances.   We see in this sermon that there is no one-size-fits-all approach to the coming of the gospel. As a church, a community on mission, we must be aware of how the gospel comes, and be willing to minister the gospel to people as we find them.   Plus there is hope - if you feel like an outsider, a non-religious type, but find yourself hungering after more - Jesus meets you where you are and draws you to himself.   MAIN TEXT Acts 16:11-34   SPEAKER David Varney, Pastor Foundation Church Belfast   FOUNDATION CHURCH BELFAST Every Sunday 10:30am - 2d Knockwood Crescent, Belfast, BT5 6GE We are part of the Advance Movement of churches and the wider Newfrontiers family.

As the gospel advances there will be setbacks. If we are to be used by God to advance the gospel through planting and strengthening churches, we must be ready to deal with discouragement.   Paul's second missionary journey begun under a cloud of discouragement. John Mark was a young leader who had previously deserted the apostolic team, leaving it at a critical moment and imperilling the mission. Barnabas and Paul were divided about whether to bring John Mark back on to the team.   Furthermore, Paul and his new team had severe difficulties entering new ground with the gospel. Twice the Holy Spirit prevented them from going into new regions.   Discouragement comes with gospel advance. This sermon looks at the source of our discouragements and lifts our gaze to see God sovereignly working out his grand plans. Only when we understand what he is doing are we then able to handle discouragement and move through it with faith.   MAIN TEXT Acts 15:36-16:10   SPEAKER David Varney, Pastor Foundation Church Belfast   FOUNDATION CHURCH BELFAST Every Sunday 10:30am - 2d Knockwood Crescent, Belfast, BT5 6GE We are part of the Advance Movement of churches and the wider Newfrontiers family.

The gospel of Jesus had been making huge strides in its forward momentum.   But the brakes are jammed on as the church hits a theological controversy - What is the nature of the gospel? In other words, how is someone actually saved?   A group of Jewish Christians taught that outsiders had to accept Jewish religion first, in order to avail of salvation in Jesus. It may have sounded plausible, but this was a direct assault on the graciousness of the gospel - a person is saved by faith alone in Christ alone by grace alone.   Far from being a first-century AD problem, the same blockage to our understanding of the gospel plagues the contemporary churches. Even as evangelicals, we may unwittingly place barriers in front of people - hoops to jump through - before they come to Christ for salvation.   Hear why this is and how we may avoid these errors in this sermon.   MAIN TEXT Acts 15:1-21   SPEAKER David Varney, Pastor Foundation Church Belfast   FOUNDATION CHURCH BELFAST Every Sunday 10:30am - 2d Knockwood Crescent, Belfast, BT5 6GE We are part of the Advance Movement of churches and the wider Newfrontiers family.

We address the reality of spiritual evil in this sermon. It always seeks to obstruct the advance of the gospel.   In this episode, a magician of considerable spiritual power, tries to stop a key local civic leader from believing the gospel message of Jesus.   However, the power and purity of God's Holy Spirit is displayed for all to see, as the magician is humiliated in front of them all.   Today, the same pure and powerful Spirit is available to us, through faith in Jesus. No spiritual darkness that we may experience is a match for God's Spirit. God can free the most spiritually oppressed person to receive his life-giving presence.   MAIN TEXT Acts 13:1-12   SPEAKER David Varney, Pastor Foundation Church Belfast   FOUNDATION CHURCH BELFAST Every Sunday 10:30am - 2d Knockwood Crescent, Belfast, BT5 6GE We are part of the Advance Movement of churches and the wider Newfrontiers family.

Sermon from Matt Adams of Immanuel Church Millisle.   MAIN TEXT Acts 12:1-19   FOUNDATION CHURCH BELFAST Every Sunday 10:30am - 2d Knockwood Crescent, Belfast, BT5 6GE We are part of the Advance Movement of churches and the wider Newfrontiers family.

In the newly-formed church in Antioch, we see a gifted team being assembled by the Holy Spirit that plants and strengthens the church.   Unnamed evangelists bring the good news to Antioch; Barnabas brings apostolic exhortation and encouragement; Saul brings top class teaching for the new believers; Agabus adds prophetic fire power.   Yet the church didn't exist on its own. It was strengthened by the Jerusalem church, and in turn, strengthened the Jerusalem church by sending financial aid.   In this dynamic planting and strengthening, we see a model of how churches are to be today - with the same gospel and the same Holy Spirit, we are led to pray, 'Do it again Lord.'   MAIN TEXT Acts 11:19-30   SPEAKER David Varney, Pastor Foundation Church Belfast   FOUNDATION CHURCH BELFAST Every Sunday 10:30am - 2d Knockwood Crescent, Belfast, BT5 6GE We are part of the Advance Movement of churches and the wider Newfrontiers family.

An officer of the Roman army converts to Christianity, signalling a paradigm shift in the advance of the gospel. Why is it so significant? He and his family are the first Gentiles to be enveloped into the people of God called the church. The doors of the kingdom swung wide open so that outsiders can come in - all through shared faith in Christ. In this narrative, we note four vision-shaping values that give definition to what we are doing at Foundation Church Belfast: Boundary-BreakingGospel-CentredSpirit-EmpoweredMultiplying Community on Mission  MAIN TEXT Acts 10:1-48   SPEAKER David Varney, Pastor Foundation Church Belfast   FOUNDATION CHURCH BELFAST Every Sunday 10:30am - 2d Knockwood Crescent, Belfast, BT5 6GE We are part of the Advance Movement of churches and the wider Newfrontiers family.

How is it that someone so devoted to the destruction of Christianity can become one of it's greatest heroes?   In the account of the conversion of the Apostle Paul (aka Saul) we see how such radical transformation is possible.   But beyond Paul's amazing about-turn, there is a faithful, Spirit-empowered disciple called Ananias who is used to bring acceptance and healing to Paul.   Today, Jesus still uses these two means to grow his church - radical transformation and Spirit-empowerment. Listen to how he does this:   MAIN TEXT Acts 9:1-22   SPEAKER David Varney, Pastor Foundation Church Belfast   FOUNDATION CHURCH BELFAST Every Sunday 10:30am - 2d Knockwood Crescent, Belfast, BT5 6GE We are part of the Advance Movement of churches and the wider Newfrontiers family.

3 Life-Changing Headlines from the Resurrection - An Easter Sunday sermon. MAIN TEXT Mark 16:1-8   SPEAKER David Varney, Pastor Foundation Church Belfast   FOUNDATION CHURCH BELFAST Every Sunday 10:30am - 2d Knockwood Crescent, Belfast, BT5 6GE We are part of the Advance Movement of churches and the wider Newfrontiers family.

The Kingdom of God advances by  Outsiders Coming InInsiders Going Out Both are powerfully depicted by Philip's interaction with the Ethiopian Eunuch in Acts 8.   MAIN TEXT Acts 8:26-40   SPEAKER David Varney, Pastor Foundation Church Belfast   FOUNDATION CHURCH BELFAST Every Sunday 10:30am - 2d Knockwood Crescent, Belfast, BT5 6GE We are part of the Advance Movement of churches and the wider Newfrontiers family.

The gospel advances to all the 'wrong' places. Here we see the hated neighbours - the Samaritans - believing the message about Jesus in their hundreds.   Curiously, the Holy Spirit appears to be withheld from these new believers until the Apostles from Jerusalem arrive.   If this were not strange enough, interlaced with this account of the conversion of the Samaritans is the magician called Simon. He thinks the power of the Holy Spirit can be bought with money.   In this sermon we see that the community on mission is: Radically inclusiveNecessarily exclusive   Through his Word, God grows our vision for bringing the gospel to the 'despised Samaritans' of our own city of Belfast and beyond.   MAIN TEXT Acts 8:4-25   SPEAKER David Varney, Pastor Foundation Church Belfast   FOUNDATION CHURCH BELFAST Every Sunday 10:30am - 2d Knockwood Crescent, Belfast, BT5 6GE We are part of the Advance Movement of churches and the wider Newfrontiers family.