Hatfield Christian Church

In a world full of persuasive voices and compelling ideas, how do you discern what is true? In this message from 2 Peter 2, Neil Bester shows us how to avoid being carried away by teaching that sounds good but ultimately leads us away from Christ. Scripture gives us a clear picture of what false teaching and teachers look like. From Jesus’ warning about the ‘yeast’ of the Pharisees and Sadducees to Peter’s strong words about deception in the Church, we are called to be alert, discerning, and grounded. But this isn’t just a warning, it’s an invitation. An invitation to grow in the grace and knowledge of Jesus, to anchor yourself in truth, and to be shaped by sound doctrine that leads to life.

The Second Letter of Peter gives us access to some of the apostle Peter’s final words – written with urgency, clarity, and deep concern for the future of the Church. In a world that is temporary and feels uncertain, Peter calls believers to anchor their lives in what is eternal. In this message, Pastor Louis zooms in on 2 Peter 1, reminding us that we have everything we need in Jesus to live godly lives. For this reason, we are urged to make every effort to grow in faith, character, and love, and to remain firmly grounded in truth. In the face of cultural drift and misleading voices, passivity is not an option. This is a call to intentional, active faith: to hold fast to God’s eternal promises, to live out your calling, and to stay rooted in truth in a world that is temporary and constantly shifting.

From a crown of thorns to a crown of glory, Easter Sunday invites us into the story’s turning point. In Luke’s account of the road to Emmaus, two disciples walk away from Jerusalem, carrying the weight of loss, confusion, and shattered hope. The One they trusted is gone, and all that remains is disappointment. Yet in the middle of their journey – right in that in-between, liminal space – Jesus comes alongside them … and they don’t even recognise Him. So often, we too are consumed by our loss, our questions, and our limited perspective, missing the presence of Jesus walking with us. But everything changes in a moment of invitation. Encounter the risen Christ with Pastor Louis, as you, too, welcome Him into every part of your life, discovering the hope that transforms loss into new beginnings.

Good Friday is a reminder of the moment Jesus stood before the world – mocked, rejected, and crowned with thorns. The soldiers twist together this crown and press it onto Jesus’ head in cruel mockery of His claim to kingship. Yet this moment reveals something deeper. The same thorns that entered the story in Genesis as part of a broken world are now borne by Jesus Himself. In silence, He endures injustice, violence, and humiliation, though even Pilate could find no fault in Him. The King of truth stands in the face of a world that twists, distorts, and resists God. Reflect with Pastor Louis on the depth of Christ’s suffering, the reality of injustice, and the powerful truth of who Jesus really is. Join us as we remember the One who entered our pain, carried the curse, and chose the cross – for us.

As Pastor Louis wraps up our ‘Faith’ series, we’re reminded that faith isn’t just for certain moments – it’s for everything and all of life. Scripture calls us to live by faith (2 Corinthians 5:7), trusting God not only in the big moments, but in the everyday realities of life. Faith is meant to be applied to the practical spaces we all navigate – such as how we relate to money – where trust, temptation, and stewardship intersect. How do we honour God with what we have? How do we resist the pull of self-reliance and instead trust Him fully? Faith shapes how we live, how we choose, and how we respond, redeeming what’s broken and anchoring us in God’s truth. As we learn to trust Him with all our hearts (Proverbs 3:5-6), we discover that a life of faith is one in which God is present in everything.

Jesus speaks about faith that can move mountains, but what does He really mean? Together with Pastor Letsholo, we explore how ‘mountains’ often represent the overwhelming challenges we face, the moments where we feel stuck, uncertain, or without solutions. In Mark 9, we’re reminded that faith doesn’t have to be perfect or impressive – even faith as small as a mustard seed matters when it’s placed in God. Honest faith, like the father who cried, “Help me overcome my unbelief!” is enough to bring us to Jesus. We also reflect on how God responds to our prayers: not always with a ‘yes’, but sometimes with ‘wait’ or ‘no’, like a loving Father who knows what we need. This message invites you to move beyond seeing faith as a way to get what you want, and instead to seek God for who He is – trusting His goodness fully, no matter the outcome.

At the heart of the Gospel is this truth: salvation is far more about what God has done than anything we could ever do for ourselves. From Ephesians 2, Neil Bester helps us reflect on the powerful contrast between who we were apart from God and what God has done for us through Christ. Scripture reminds us that salvation is not something we earn – it is a gift flowing from God’s mercy, kindness, and love. Our response is faith. Yet the story doesn’t end there. We are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus for good works that He has prepared in advance for us to do. We are not saved by works, but we are saved to them. This message invites you to respond to God’s grace with faith – whether for the first time or afresh – and to consider how you are living out the purpose God has placed before you as someone who follows Jesus.

Faith and freedom are inseparable from truth. In this message, Pastor Louis shows us how deception is one of the enemy’s primary strategies to undermine our faith and steal our freedom – by causing us to doubt God’s goodness, His character, and His Word. From the Garden of Eden to the words of Jesus, Scripture shows how lies and half-truths bind us, while truth brings freedom. We are invited to recognise where our thinking has been shaped by deception and to bring our minds and beliefs back under the lordship of Christ. As Jesus said, ‘You will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.’ Let’s trust the Holy Spirit to renew minds, restore faith, and lead us into deeper freedom through God’s truth.

As faith grounds us, hope moves us forward. Together with Pastor Natasja, we explore how faith is the foundation for real hope – not superficial optimism, but a deep, God-given confidence that carries us through uncertainty and despair. Discover how the Holy Spirit ignites faith and hope within us, anchoring our lives in Christ while giving us courage and momentum to move forward into the future, regardless of circumstances.

Faith is more than belief – it’s trust that shapes how we live. In this message, Ben Pinches explores what it really means to grow in faith and how a growing trust in God leads to greater confidence, deeper reliance, and lasting peace. We consider some key indicators of a growing faith, including prayer, perseverance through suffering, forgiveness, and obedience on our everyday frontlines. This message also makes space for the moments when our faith feels weak or fails altogether, reminding us that even when we begin to sink, Jesus is near, ready to reach out, steady us, and lead us forward again. Whether you feel strong in faith or unsure right now, Ben invites you to keep growing toward trust, confidence, and peace in God.

If you have ever wrestled with the promises and the problems of the prosperity gospel, this message is for you. Pastor Louis honestly addresses questions about belief, money, and provision, while affirming faith in a good, generous God who provides. Drawing from Scripture, we explore the difference between treating faith as a law or mechanism and living with faith in God’s character. We look at what the Bible actually teaches about sowing and reaping – not as a formula for guaranteed outcomes, but as God-given principles that invite us to partner with Him through generosity, righteousness, justice, work, and stewardship. It is crucial to acknowledge the reality of suffering and material struggle in a broken world. At the same time, we hold onto the hope that God cares deeply about every part of our lives: spiritual, physical, and material. Faith in God shapes how we live, give, endure, and trust Him, whether in abundance or in need.

What do we mean when we say we have faith in God? Pastor Louis explores the vital difference between faith in God and faith treated as a spiritual formula or mechanism. While some present faith as a law that can be activated through belief and confession, Scripture consistently reveals faith as relational trust – anchored in who God is, not in how strongly we believe. True faith is not about having enough faith, but about placing our faith in God. It leads us into relationship, surrender, and transformation, not self-reliance or spiritual performance. Faith in God anchors our confidence in who He is, aligns our desires with His will, and gives us courage to believe Him for the impossible while remaining rooted in obedience and trust.

What is faith – really? As Pastor Louis kicks off our series on faith, the invitation is to rediscover what the Bible actually teaches about faith. Drawing from Hebrews 11:6, he begins by exploring the value of faith, the first step of faith, and the effect faith has on the way we live. The Christian faith is neither blind nor irrational. It is deeply connected to truth. To believe in God is not to ignore reason, but to embrace the most reasonable explanation of what is real. This message lays a strong foundation for understanding faith as more than a feeling or an idea, but as a lived response to the truth of who God is.

For many of us, family is our first and most challenging frontline. It’s the place of deepest connection, greatest influence, and sometimes the most complex emotions. In this message, Pastor Louis explores what it means to follow Jesus faithfully within your family – recognising that family can look very different for each of us and that not every story is easy. Drawing on Jesus’ radical call to seek God’s Kingdom first, we’ll reflect on how loving Him shapes the way we love those closest to us. We’ll talk about prayer, wisdom, courage, forgiveness, and what it looks like to be a gracious, Spirit-led witness in family spaces. Whether your family relationships feel life-giving, strained, or painful, this message invites you to entrust your family to God and step into your calling as an ambassador of His Kingdom – right where you are.

When the day is nearly over, and the need feels overwhelming, Jesus does something unexpected. In Matthew 14, as the pressure mounts and solutions seem impossible, Jesus turns to His disciples with a bold challenge, ‘You give them something to eat.’ In this message, Pastor Louis explores how Jesus invites ordinary people into extraordinary moments of faith. From procrastinating and passing responsibility to fear and anxiety about what could go wrong, we see ourselves in the disciples’ response – and we hear Jesus calling us to trust Him with what we have. This is a call to move beyond limitation thinking, to step into God’s provision, and to discover that when we offer what’s in our hands, Jesus can multiply it for His purposes. You are included in the miracle – and you can never outgive Him.

Perseverance is not just about surviving hard seasons – it’s about remaining faithful as we continue to do God’s will, trusting His promises even when the journey feels long. Neil Bester turns our attention to Hebrews 10:36 among other Scriptures to explore why perseverance is essential to the Christian life, how God shapes our character through endurance, and how hope is formed in us through suffering and obedience. We’ll reflect on the quiet faithfulness of those who kept going, discovering that perseverance is deeply connected to love, maturity, and trust in God’s compassion and mercy. Join us as we are reminded that those who persevere are truly blessed, and that God is always faithful and His timing always perfect.

Life doesn’t just move forward on its own – we move forward when we recognise the moments that matter. So, Pastor Louis turns our attention to Hebrews 12:1 to explore how God invites us not only to run our race but to run it well. We’ll look at how the stories of faith that came before us point the way, how every season asks us to release what weighs us down, and how the challenges before us can actually reveal the opportunities God is providing. In this new year, what might God be preparing you to step into? What moments – ordinary or extraordinary – might become your kairos moments of transformation?

There’s no better way to close out the year than in the presence of God and with the people of God. Our New Year’s Eve service is a space to breathe, to look back with gratitude, and to look forward with faith. Join us and Pastor Ian for an evening of worship, Scripture, and prayer as we celebrate God’s faithfulness and start the new year with hearts set on Him.

Life moves forward in the steady tick of chronos time – days, years, appointments, and deadlines. But our lives are shaped in the moments of kairos: those God-given windows of opportunity that carry weight, significance, and the potential to change everything. In this prerecorded message, Pastor Louis explores the difference between living by the clock and living with spiritual awareness. Ecclesiastes reminds us that there is ‘a time for every purpose under heaven’, and Scripture calls us to recognise the moments that are ripe – moments when God is inviting us to act, respond, or step into something new.

In Jerusalem’s temple courts, Simeon held a baby in his arms and saw what he and many generations of Israelites had been waiting – aching – for. But Simeon wasn’t simply waiting; he was waiting well: righteous, devout, attentive to the Holy Spirit, and ready to move when God spoke. Let Pastor Louis tell you more and enter into this moment with Simeon: A man led by the Spirit. A promise finally fulfilled. A life’s purpose quietly completed with the words, ‘My eyes have seen your salvation.’ We celebrate more than a birth on Christmas Day – we celebrate God’s comfort made visible, His salvation in Jesus becoming like us, and His hope made unstoppable.