The Word became Flesh

Next week we start our Advent series. We will be going slowly through one of the most beautiful and rich passages in the Scriptures – the opening to John’s Gospel. Many of us may well be familiar with this passage from Christmases past. For example: John 1 is the final lesson every year at Carols from Kings.

 

21 Nov           In the beginning                           John 1:1-5                 Sam Bostock

28 Nov           The true light                              John 1:6-14               Frank Sellar

5 Dec             The Word became flesh                 John 1:15-18              Steve Auld

12 Dec           God made known                          John 1:19-20             Steve Auld

Each week will feature a Bible reading and a 20 minute talk over lunch or a hot drink.

Everyone working in the city centre is very welcome to join us on Wednesday lunchtimes from 1:10-1:45pm, in the restaurant of the Clayton Hotel Belfast 22-26 Ormeau Avenue, Belfast, BT2 8HS.

(On entering the building turn left, you’ll find us at the far end of the restaurant.)

Sandwiches and hot drinks are available (suggested donation £3).

 

Please feel free to share this with anyone you know who may be interested in coming along.

Good News For The Just About Managing

In her first speech outside Downing Street, Theresa May announced her intention to govern on behalf of the ‘just about managing’ – the people who maybe aren’t desperately poor, but they don’t feel very well off either. It may feel like a long time ago, but Theresa May’s government promised to bring radical change on behalf of those people.
Spiritually, many of us might be tempted to describe ourselves as ‘just about managing’. That’s interesting, because Jesus said he came to bring ‘good news to the poor’.
Over the next few weeks we’re going to be looking at the climax to a section in Luke’s gospel that is all about how we get eternal life. We’ll see that there is good news for the ‘just about managing’, but it involves some honest evaluations about where our spiritual lives are really at. Join as we discover how bad news for Mr Big can be good news for the little people.

Andy Hambleton, Christoph Ebbinghaus and Sam Bostock will be joining us over the coming weeks to help us think through the truth and challenge of these Gospel stories for us today.

 

Weds lunchtime        Series Topic/Title                                 Passage

30-May                      Good News for the Failing                        Luke 18:9-17

06-June                      Bad News for Mr Big                                Luke 18:18-30

13-June                       Seeing and Believing                                Luke 18:31-43

20-June                      A Big Change in a Little Man                    Luke 19:1-10

27-June                       Escape to the Country                              Luke 19:11-27

 

Everyone who is in the city centre is very welcome to join us on Wednesday lunchtimes from 1:10-1:45pm, in the restaurant of the Clayton Hotel Belfast 22-26 Ormeau Avenue, Belfast, BT2 8HS. (On entering the building turn left, you’ll find us at the far end of the restaurant.) Sandwiches and hot drinks are available (suggested donation £3).

Please feel free to share this with anyone you know who may be interested in coming along.

What Jesus really thinks about money.

It’s often said that money was one of the topics Jesus spoke most often about, and it’s the subject of a number of Jesus’ parables recorded in Luke’s gospel. Join us over the next three weeks, as we explore what Jesus really said about wealth.

14/2     The Wealthy Fool                                      Luke 12. 13-21

21/2     How to make your wealth last forever        Luke 16. 1-13

28/2     How not to be wealthy                              Luke 16. 14-31

Alongside this, each week we’re going to continue taking a bit of time to discuss some of the pressure points where the 21st century workplace presents a challenge to living as a Christian.

Everyone who is in the city centre is very welcome to join us on Wednesday lunchtimes from 1:10-1:45pm, upstairs in Caffe Nero on Fountain St. Sandwiches available (suggested donation £3).

Please feel free to share this with anyone you know who may be interested in coming along.

Lunchtime Carol Service

This year Gospel in the City will once again be hosting our Lunchtime Carol Service on Wednesday  20 December 2017 from 1:10-1:50pm in the downstairs venue of May Street Church (Where Urban Soul cafe used to be).

This will be a traditional carol service with well-known Christmas carols led by a brass band, with mulled punch and a short message from Christoph Ebbinghaus. It is intended to be accessible to anyone who enjoys a traditional Christmas service and we hope would be perfect for a pre-Christmas office trip out for your whole team.

 

The Call of the Kingdom: for the many or the few?

For our first autumn series of short Bible readings and talks we are looking at Luke’s Gospel, chapters 13-15, under the title: The Call of the Kingdom: for the many or the few?

At this busy time of year we’re praying that these talks will refocus our priorities for life in the workplace.

In the first passage in this section a man asks Jesus, “will those who are saved be many or few?” (Luke 13:23) It wasn’t an academic question! Is the kingdom of God basically for a few hardened believers, or is open to everyone? If everyone’s invited, why aren’t more people embracing it?

Join us on Wednesday lunchtimes as we discover how Jesus responds.

  • 13 Sept – For the many or the few? Luke 13:22-35
  • 20 Sept – Discipleship and the greasy pole Luke 14:1-24
  • 27 Sept – Come to the party! Luke 14:1-24
  • 4 Oct – You need a plan Luke 14:25-35
  • 11 Oct – Lost and found Luke 15
  • 18 Oct – The heart of God Luke 15

Each week we’ll also be including a short slot that aims to equip us very practically for living as a Christian in the workplace. This autumn we are focusing on 10 tips for everyday evangelism from New York pastor Tim Keller.

Everyone who is in the city centre is very welcome to join us on Wednesday lunchtimes at 1:10, upstairs in Caffe Nero on Fountain St.

A copy of a flyer for this series is available to view and download here.  Feel free to share this with anyone you know who may be interested.

Kingdom Secrets

During June at Gospel in the City we’re returning to Mark’s gospel for a 4 part series we’re calling “Kingdom Secrets”.  Focusing on chapters 3 and 4, we’ll see how Jesus is rejected by people, including his own family, and how he begins to build a new family in God’s kingdom.
We will be thinking about our witness in the workplace by answering the question “if Jesus is God why don’t more people believe in him?” through four key passages:
  • 7 June: “Far from the madding crowd” (Mark 3:6-21)
  • 14 June: “The strong man bound” (Mark 3:20-35)
  • 21 June: “The four soils” (Mark 4:1-20)
  • 28 June: “The secret word” (Mark 4:21-34)

Dead man walking: the case for the empty tomb

Many people today see Jesus as an interesting religious thinker (like the Buddha) or a revolutionary prophet (like Che Guevara). But to contemporary people Jesus was either a dangerous heretic or he was the son of God. Put another way, they either believed he had been rightly executed by the Romans, or that God had raised him from the dead, offering life to the world.

This Easter we will be joined by Stephen Shaw QC to consider the evidence for the empty tomb. Stephen has practiced at the Northern Irish Bar for over 30 years and has been Senior Counsel since 2001. Stephen regularly speaks on the evidence for the Christian faith and we are delighted that he is able to join us for this one off event, organised by Gospel in the City.

Wednesday 12 April 2016, 1:10 – 1:50pm
May Street Presbyterian Church, Belfast (see below for directions)
All welcome. No booking necessary.

A copy of a flyer for this event is available to download here. Feel free to share this with anyone you know who may be interested.

Lent Bible Readings: The Controversial Christ

In the run-up to Easter, we are returning to Mark’s Gospel after a couple of months’ break. After the excitement and enthusiasm of the early days of Jesus’ public ministry, the mood has turned sour as Jesus is challenged again and again about his unique claims.

We’re going to be looking at five “conflict stories” in Mark 2-3. In each we’ll see how Jesus’ claims are at the same time wonderfully good news and strangely controversial. Ultimately, we’ll see that Jesus’ commitment to bringing life sets in motion the events that lead to his death.

  • 08 Mar The Christ who blasphemes Mark 2:1-12
  • 15 Mar The Christ who eats with sinners Mark 2:13-17
  • 22 Mar The cutting-edge Christ Mark 2:18-22
  • 29 Mar Christ the law-breaker Mark 2:23-28
  • 05 Apr The Christ you want to kill Mark 3:1-6
  • 12 Apr Dead Man Walking: the Case for the empty tomb

This series will be great for anyone exploring what Jesus’ life was all about, and there will lots for Christians to chew on as we consider together what it means to follow a controversial Christ.

Our speakers for this series are Moore Casement (Cornhill Belfast), Sam Bostock (Union College), Christoph Ebbinghaus (Kirkpatrick Memorial Presbyterian Church) and Jim Crooks (the Crescent Church). The series will finish in Easter week with a special talk from Stephen Shaw QC, “Dead Man Walking: the Case for the empty tomb” (12 April).

A copy of a flyer for this series is available to view and download here. Feel free to share this with anyone you know who may be interested.

City on a Hill: Developing a Public Faith

What does it mean to be a disciple of King Jesus in our workplaces?

For the first few weeks of 2017, we’re going to be looking at the opening to the Sermon on the Mount. With potent images Jesus sets out what life in his kingdom looks like: comfort for the mourners, joy for the persecuted, salt of the earth, light for the world, a city on a hill.

Jesus gives us a vision for a kind of “public faith” – a way of shining brightly as citizens of his kingdom in a world that rejects his rule. As Tim Keller has said:

“To be “public” doesn’t mean being strident, nor to force the subject into conversations. It simply means that Christians should not hide who they are.”

Join us for a mixture of Bible teaching and interactive seminars over five Wednesday lunchtimes as we work out how we might bring light to our workplaces by being who we are.

  • 11 Jan      Time to be blessed
  • 18 Jan      Salt of the earth
  • 25 Jan      Light of the world
  • 01 Feb      Kingdom living in my workplace (part 1)
  • 08 Feb      Kingdom living in my workplace (part 2)