Foundation Church Belfast

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-Breaking
Gospel-Centred
Spirit-Empowered
Multiplying 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.