Riverside Church, Birmingham, Uk

TEACHING SERIES: Closer Than You Know TITLE: Don’t Stress The Details BY: Nathanael Ballew DATE: Sunday 25 August 2024 BIBLE PASSAGES: Exodus 3:16-22 EXCERPT: Can we compromise? God has shown in the Bible that he is faithful through the generations. And he asks us to love him with all that we have. But do we find it too easy at times to compromise on his commands? Are you a planner or a blagger?! Some of us need all the details sorted before we act, whereas others are happy to see what happens. Either way, taking a step of faith is not always easy. We can never know for sure what will happen, and all of the details won’t be clear until they happen. And even then, we wont please everybody! But, the example of Moses reveals that there is only one way to know that God goes with us, and that is by going his way. ‘The person in the room who has the most hope, has the most influence’ (Sarah Yardley) Welcome: What's true of Riverside Church when we meet together in-person is still true of us online. We are o

TEACHING SERIES: Closer Than You Know TITLE: How To Know? BY: Olivia Anwana DATE: Sunday 18 August 2024 BIBLE PASSAGES: Exodus 3:11-15 EXCERPT: We all need guidance in life at some point…whether a decision is wise, what we should do, or which is the best opportunity to take. How do we know what God wants? How does God guide us, and can we ever be 100% sure? When looking for guidance, how did we know if something is of God or not? Moses learnt some crucial lessons about God’s guidance. There are some important things to look to and to remember. But, he also discovered that there’s only ever one way to really know…it’s after you’ve taken a step of faith and see what God has done. Welcome: What's true of Riverside Church when we meet together in-person is still true of us online. We are on a journey together to help people get to know Jesus and grow as his followers across Birmingham and beyond. Riverside is a church made up of people from a diversity of backgrounds and experiences all with one thing in commo

TEACHING SERIES: Closer Than You Know TITLE: Longing for the miracle BY: Naomi Woodruff DATE: Sunday 11 August 2024 BIBLE PASSAGES: Exodus 3:8-10 EXCERPT: So often, we look for the spectacular. We long for God to do amazing miracles, that calm our doubts and help us believe. But what if miracles are sometimes more mundane than that? God’s people were looking for a miracle. No doubt Moses was, too! But what he didn’t bargain for was that he might end up being the miracle. It when we look back through our lives, we see God’s fingerprints. And then we begin to see his plan for our lives. “Every human being has a great, yet often unknown gift: to care, to be compassionate, to become present to the other, to listen, to hear and receive…If that gift would be set free and made available, miracles could take place.” (Henri Nouwen) Welcome: What's true of Riverside Church when we meet together in-person is still true of us online. We are on a journey together to help people get to know Jesus and grow as his foll

TEACHING SERIES: Closer Than You Know TITLE: Look Who’s Talking BY: Judy Moore DATE: Sunday 4 August 2024 BIBLE PASSAGES: Exodus 3:6-8 EXCERPT: Have you ever been in a situation when someone has really surprised you in the way they act? What if God is like that? If we have the wrong view of God, it dramatically impacts what we presume he might be doing or saying. If we have an unhealthy view of God, it may feel devastating when we go through times that God feels distant or silent. Having the right view of ourselves and God changes how we expect him to act and how we expect him to care. “I believe in God, but I don’t believe in the God that you don’t believe in.” (Anon) Welcome: What's true of Riverside Church when we meet together in-person is still true of us online. We are on a journey together to help people get to know Jesus and grow as his followers across Birmingham and beyond. Riverside is a church made up of people from a diversity of backgrounds and experiences all with one thing in common; our

TEACHING SERIES: Closer Than You Know SERMON TITLE: Turn To See BY: Jenny Barthow DATE: Sunday 28 July 2024 BIBLE PASSAGES: Exodus 3:1-3 EXCERPT: In Exodus 3:3-4, the exact same phrase is used twice: Moses ‘goes over to look’ at the burning bush and God sees that Moses has ‘gone over to look’. This phrase is important and has two aspects to it: a. Turning away from one direction. b. Giving attention to another direction. This is crucial in our search for God. We often long to experience that he is close or hear his voice. But what if it started with us? What if the first step is actively turning towards him? “Prayer is never the first word; it is always the second word. God has the first word.” (Eugene Peterson) Welcome: What's true of Riverside Church when we meet together in-person is true of us online. We are on a journey together to help people get to know Jesus and grow as his followers across Birmingham and beyond. Riverside is a church made up of people from a diversity of backgrounds and exper

TEACHING SERIES: Closer Than You Know SERMON TITLE: The One Who Hears BY: Andy Worthington DATE: Sunday 21 July 2024 BIBLE PASSAGES: Exodus 2:11-25 EXCERPT: God hears and sees even when you’re in the middle of circumstances where it might seem that he doesn’t. “He who passively accepts evil is as much involved in it as he who helps to perpetrate it. He who accepts evil without protesting against it is really cooperating with it. History will have to record that the greatest tragedy of this period of social transition was not the strident clamour of the bad people, but the appalling silence of the good people.” (Martin Luther King) Welcome: What's true of Riverside Church when we meet together in-person is true of us online. We are on a journey together to help people get to know Jesus and grow as his followers across Birmingham and beyond. Riverside is a church made up of people from a diversity of backgrounds and experiences all with one thing in common; our discovery of God and His amazing love. We ho

TEACHING SERIES: What’s In A Word? TITLE: In The Unknown BY: Tim Chilvers DATE: Sunday, 16 July 2024 BIBLE PASSAGES: Psalm 103; 11-17 EXCERPT: Looking at God’s faithfulness in the unknown. As we looked at God’s faithfulness to Riverside’s in the last 40 years, this week we look at how He is faithful in the unknown, and we trust Him to lead us in these next 40 years. Welcome: What's true of Riverside Church when we meet together in-person is still true of us online. We are on a journey together to help people get to know Jesus and grow as his followers across Birmingham and beyond. Riverside is a church made up of people from a diversity of backgrounds and experiences all with one thing in common; our discovery of God and His amazing love. We hope you will feel at home among us and that you will find our weekly services, events and groups welcoming and relevant to your life. Whoever you are, whatever you believe, you're so welcome in this community. To find out more about Riverside Church please visit

TEACHING SERIES: What’s In A Word? TITLE: Through The Years BY: Tim Chilvers and Nick Cuthbert DATE: Sunday, 07 July 2024 BIBLE PASSAGES: Psalm 100 EXCERPT: Looking at God’s faithfulness through the years. As we are celebrating Riverside 40th birthday, we look at what God has done, is doing and our expectation and hope for what he will do. He is faithful. Welcome: What's true of Riverside Church when we meet together in-person is still true of us online. We are on a journey together to help people get to know Jesus and grow as his followers across Birmingham and beyond. Riverside is a church made up of people from a diversity of backgrounds and experiences all with one thing in common; our discovery of God and His amazing love. We hope you will feel at home among us and that you will find our weekly services, events and groups welcoming and relevant to your life. Whoever you are, whatever you believe, you're so welcome in this community. To find out more about Riverside Church please visit our website:

TEACHING SERIES: What’s In A Word? TITLE: When We Are Not BY: Judy Moore DATE: Sunday, 30 June 2024 BIBLE PASSAGES: Psalm 25:4-11 EXCERPT: God remains faithful even when we don’t. When we get it wrong. He gets it right. We look at what God has done, is doing and our expectation and hope for what he will do. He is faithful. Welcome: What's true of Riverside Church when we meet together in-person is still true of us online. We are on a journey together to help people get to know Jesus and grow as his followers across Birmingham and beyond. Riverside is a church made up of people from a diversity of backgrounds and experiences all with one thing in common; our discovery of God and His amazing love. We hope you will feel at home among us and that you will find our weekly services, events and groups welcoming and relevant to your life. Whoever you are, whatever you believe, you're so welcome in this community. To find out more about Riverside Church please visit our website: https://riverside-church.org.u

TEACHING SERIES: Citizen TITLE: Finding Meaning In The Mayhem BY: Tim Chilvers DATE: Sunday, 23 June 2024 BIBLE PASSAGES: Daniel 12:5-13 (Daniel 10-12) EXCERPT: “It just doesn’t make sense.” Have you ever said that to yourself? Whether it’s some homework that you don’t understand, a form you need to fill in, or a situation that is beyond you, we all face perplexing things sometimes. What if it is life in general? And, what if the hardship you go through seems to cloud out God. Is there ever any meaning in times of mayhem? “Our godlike beauty is hidden beneath curtains of shame.” (Gregory Of Nyssa) “The Church of Christ in this world always was and will be oppressed – either by a false protection, converting it into a tool of the state, to Caesar’s ends, or by persecution.” (Nikolai Berdyaev) Welcome: What's true of Riverside Church when we meet together in-person is still true of us online. We are on a journey together to help people get to know Jesus and grow as his followers across Birmingham and be

TEACHING SERIES: Citizen TITLE: How To Survive The End Of The World BY: Tim Chilvers DATE: Sunday, 16 June 2024 BIBLE PASSAGES: Daniel 7:9-14 (Daniel 7-9) EXCERPT: Since Covid there’s been a big influx of apocalyptic movies and endurance entertainment. We’re fascinated by the stories and intensity, and some of us secretly long for a life that is simply about survival. And yet, beyond the entertainment, our culture doesn’t offer much hope. What if there was really hope in the face of the end of the world! “How did you go bankrupt?” Bill asked. “Two ways,” Mike said. “Gradually, then suddenly.” (Ernest Hemingway, The Sun also Rises) “I have two kinds of problems, the urgent and the important. The urgent are not important, and the important are never urgent.” (Dwight D. Eisenhower) Welcome: What's true of Riverside Church when we meet together in-person is still true of us online. We are on a journey together to help people get to know Jesus and grow as his followers across Birmingham and beyond. Riversi

TEACHING SERIES: Citizen SERMON TITLE: Under Pressure BY: Nathanael Ballew DATE: Sunday 9 June 2024 BIBLE PASSAGES: Daniel 6:10-16 (Daniel 4 & 5) EXCERPT: What are you like under pressure? Do you thrive on the adrenaline, or do you buckle under the weight? Each of us is different in times of real pressure, for a whole variety of reasons. But one thing is sure – if you know the outcome, it changes how you see the situation. Daniel faced a choice. He could have acted to avoid the pressure. But instead, he chose the path of immense pressure, all because he knew who was fighting with him. That changes everything “Faith is refusal to panic” (Martyn Lloyd-Jones) Welcome: What's true of Riverside Church when we meet together in-person is still true of us online. We are on a journey together to help people get to know Jesus and grow as his followers across Birmingham and beyond. Riverside is a church made up of people from a diversity of backgrounds and experiences all with one thing in common; our discovery o

TEACHING SERIES: Citizen SERMON TITLE: Speaking Truth To Power BY: Tim Chilvers DATE: Sunday 2 June 2024 BIBLE PASSAGES: Daniel 4:1-3 (Daniel 4 & 5) EXCERPT: Who is the most powerful person you know? What does it mean to be ‘powerful’? And how can we use that power in a healthy and good way, rather than a destructive, self-centred way? “We are easily drawn in by energy, drive, charisma and what seems like success. But how can we tell if what we are seeing is healthy, biblical leadership?” (Marcus Honeysett) “This is the first temptation of power: We view the problem as “out there”…but we ignore the problem in our own hearts….Part of being created in God’s image is having the power to shape the world around us.” (Kyle Strobel and Jamin Goggin) “With great power comes great responsibility” (Spiderman) Welcome: What's true of Riverside Church when we meet together in-person is still true of us online. We are on a journey together to help people get to know Jesus and grow as his followers across Birming

TEACHING SERIES: Citizen SERMON TITLE: Courage Under Fire BY: Guest DATE: Sunday 26 May 2024 BIBLE PASSAGES: Daniel 3:8-12, 19-26 EXCERPT: Everyone loves a movie with an act of courage. When the world seems against the hero, and they boldly, courageously defy the odds. But what does courage look like in our culture, without the soundtrack and camera crews? What does it take to be courageous even when under attack? “So courage, dear heart. I know you are tired. I know the darkness is thick and the way is longer and harder than you ever expected it to be. But God sees you, he hurts with you, and he welcomes your honesty. Even to the ends of the earth, he will lead you on.” (Rebecca Reynolds) “Without courage, we will simply accumulate a collection of good ideas and regrets.” (Andy Stanley) Welcome: What's true of Riverside Church when we meet together in-person is still true of us online. We are on a journey together to help people get to know Jesus and grow as his followers across Birmingham and b

TEACHING SERIES: Citizen SERMON TITLE: Being an Influencer BY: Sarah Auger DATE: Sunday 19 May 2024 BIBLE PASSAGES: Daniel 2:14-23 EXCERPT: Do you want to be an influencer? According to indeed.com, there are 5 levels of influencer in our society – from being a ‘nano-influencer’ (under10k followers) up to being a ‘mega influencer’ (over 1m followers). In a sense, we are all influencers to some degree. But how are we influencing people, and towards what? And what are we influenced by? “Our legacy isn’t to have people remember us but rather who Jesus is. If people walk away from us, Church or an event talking about us rather than Jesus we missed the plot.” (Christy Wimber) Welcome: What's true of Riverside Church when we meet together in-person is still true of us online. We are on a journey together to help people get to know Jesus and grow as his followers across Birmingham and beyond. Riverside is a church made up of people from a diversity of backgrounds and experiences all with one thing in common

TEACHING SERIES: Citizen SERMON TITLE: I Don’t Belong Here BY: Judy Moore DATE: Sunday 12 May 2024 BIBLE PASSAGES: Daniel 1:6-21 EXCERPT: At some point in life, we face a choice. A choice that causes us pain. A choice to do the difficult thing, but the right thing. Daniel faced the same choice. He was a long way from home, in a place he didn’t belong. Everything within him would have battled against making a scene. Keep quiet. Fit in. Don’t make a scene. And yet, he chose the only way he knew – to go God’s way. Whatever the cost. Fitting in would have made sense. But standing out made history. And the consequences were extraordinary. “Maybe you’re caught in the same tension as me, wanting to fit somewhere even as you’re permanently out of place. Maybe you’re not quite sure how to belong. Maybe you feel like an alien.” (Gregory Coles) Welcome: What's true of Riverside Church when we meet together in-person is still true of us online. We are on a journey together to help people get to know Jesus and

TEACHING SERIES: Bend, Don’t Break SERMON TITLE: Citizen of Where BY: Tim Chilvers DATE: Sunday 05 May 2024 BIBLE PASSAGES: Daniel 1:1-5 & Jeremiah 29:4-7 EXCERPT: In an election year, how do you live when you feel like you don’t fit in? It can be easy to resist and complain. And yet. In the ancient book of Daniel we find a people who are a long way from home, in Babylon. But, how they live changes everything for them, and for the people they live amongst. “By the rivers of Babylon, there we sat down. Yeah, we wept, when we remembered Zion” (Boney M) “Undeserved kindness changes things.” (Heather Holdsworth) Welcome: What's true of Riverside Church when we meet together in-person is still true of us online. We are on a journey together to help people get to know Jesus and grow as his followers across Birmingham and beyond. Riverside is a church made up of people from a diversity of backgrounds and experiences all with one thing in common; our discovery of God and His amazing love. We hope you will f

TEACHING SERIES: Bend, Don’t Break SERMON TITLE: The Questions We Have BY: Discussion Panel DATE: Sunday 28 April 2024 BIBLE PASSAGES: Psalm 91:2 EXCERPT: Last of the series on mental health, wellbeing and resilience. How do we recognise when we were near breaking point? And how do we build healthy patterns and expectations for life? How do we care well for ourselves and for each other? ‘I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.” (Psalm 91:2) Welcome: What's true of Riverside Church when we meet together in-person is still true of us online. We are on a journey together to help people get to know Jesus and grow as his followers across Birmingham and beyond. Riverside is a church made up of people from a diversity of backgrounds and experiences all with one thing in common; our discovery of God and His amazing love. We hope you will feel at home among us and that you will find our weekly services, events and groups welcoming and relevant to your life. Whoever

TEACHING SERIES: Bend, Don’t Break SERMON TITLE: Building Resilience BY: Tim Chilvers DATE: Sunday 21 April 2024 BIBLE PASSAGES: Psalm 130 & 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 EXCERPT: How can you be more resilient in life? How can we be better equipped to nurture mental wellness and resilience in our daily lives? In this third part, we will explore ways to build resilience in your life. . “I desperately needed people living in the real world, in the same world as me… Above all, I needed friends, not fixers.” (Mark Meynell) Welcome: What's true of Riverside Church when we meet together in-person is still true of us online. We are on a journey together to help people get to know Jesus and grow as his followers across Birmingham and beyond. Riverside is a church made up of people from a diversity of backgrounds and experiences all with one thing in common; our discovery of God and His amazing love. We hope you will feel at home among us and that you will find our weekly services, events and groups welcoming and re

TEACHING SERIES: Bend, Don’t Break SERMON TITLE: Breaking Point BY: Judy Moore DATE: Sunday 14 April 2024 BIBLE PASSAGES: Psalm 88 & 2 Corinthians 1:3-7 EXCERPT: You can only bend so long without breaking. How do you know how you’re doing? And, how do you know how much more you can take? In this second part, we will explore what breaking point might look like, and taking steps to find hope and wholeness. “A breakdown isn’t the beginning of mental illness, it’s the publication of it. It’s the volcano that has been rumbling away for years, exploding with boiling lava and destroying everything in its path. It has no choice; it was made like that, and people built houses on its slopes knowing what it was but hoping that it might not actually erupt.” (Lucy Martin, This Too Will Pass) Welcome: What's true of Riverside Church when we meet together in-person is still true of us online. We are on a journey together to help people get to know Jesus and grow as his followers across Birmingham and beyond. Riversi