On Sunday, I preached at Oxford Community Church, as part of our series in the book of James. We looked the subject of faith and wisdom, considering what it means to be truly wise, and contrasting the Wisdom of Heaven with the Wisdom of Earth. If you’d like to catch up, you can find the…
Author: Liam Thatcher
Writer, preacher, pastor, thinker, joker, gooner, baker, follower of the way. Husband of one wife, father of one child, author of no books.
Stewarding Faith through Disappointment (Luke 7)
Earlier this month, we hosted a series of prophetic conferences at Oxford Community Church, with guest speakers Ben and Heather Armstrong and Paul Manwaring, from Bethel Church, Redding California. These events were SO much fun – packed with great teaching that lay a strong foundation for growing in the prophetic and developing a culture where…
Two pastoral keys to the book of James
We’re currently preaching through the book of James at our church, and I kicked off the series the other week with some introductory reflections, about the author, his letter, and the central theme of faith. One of the things people are often struck by when reading this letter is its weightiness. I’ve felt the challenge…
Faith in Action (James 1.1; 5.19–20)
On Sunday, I preached at Oxford Community Church, kicking off a new sermon series on the book of James. We looked at who the author and recipients were, and considered some of the main themes of the letter – in particular, grace and faith. If you’d like to catch up, you can find the audio…
Re-Branding Through Baptism: Celebration, Cynicism, and Cautious Hope
So Russell Brand got baptised. Last Sunday, in the Thames. I watched this video of him describing the experience – you may have seen it. It was moving and beautiful to hear him describe the peace he has searched for in many places, and has now come to experience, since accepting Christ as his saviour….
Jesus and the Inner Ring
Have you ever been on the outside and wanted in? Have you observed a tight-knit group, and longed to be part of it? Maybe you’ve sought a position at a table, believing that it can give you status, power, opportunities, validation… And sure, perhaps you’ve had to push and strive a little to get invited…
Returning to our First Love (Revelation 2.1–7)
“What if Jesus’ definition of thriving leaders and thriving churches is different to ours?” Last weekend I had the privilege of speaking at Thrive – a conference for the Salt and Light Advance churches of which Oxford Community Church is a part. It was a fantastic event – with powerful times of worship, great speakers, and some…
Listening to the Spirit (Revelation 1)
On Sunday, I finished our sermon series at Oxford Community Church, by preaching from Revelation 1, on the subject of listening to the Spirit. We consider the significance of the church being depicted as a lamp stand, and looked at how Jesus loves to speak to his church, and through his church. If you’d like…
The Image of God (Genesis 1.26–31)
‘There are no gradations in the image of God. Every man from a treble white to a bass black is significant on God’s keyboard, precisely because every man is made in the image of God. One day we will learn that.’ Martin Luther King Jr. On Sunday I spoke at Aston and Cote Community Church,…
Hosting the Spirit
“The reason the church is in crisis today is because we have settled for the omnipresence rather than for the manifest presence of God.” Fred Hartley On Sunday, I started a new series at Oxford Community Church, by preaching on worship and the presence of God. We talked about the difference between God’s omnipresence and…
Liam Thatcher 