Sinking to the bottom of the ocean, Jonah must have felt his life was over, but God had other plans. In this talk from Oxford Community Church, I look at Jonah’s prayer from the belly of the fish, and what it tells us about the nature of salvation.
Tag: community
A Living Community
At Oxford Community Church we are currently in a series on Community Groups, and this Sunday I co-preached on one of my favourite gospel stories in Mark 2 Four men bring their friend to Jesus, seeking healing. When faced with a crowd blocking their way, they take a courageous choice to do whatever it takes…
BeReal: Connecting with Culture
If you’re curious what a ‘geriatric millennial’ makes of a social media app much loved by Gen-Z, then you’re in luck! This week I had the privilege of writing the London Institute of Contemporary Christianity’s Connecting with Culture, and I chose to offer a few thoughts on BeReal. The concept is simple. Users receive a…
NASA, Nigella and the power of the table
I’ve recently spoken and written on loneliness and the idea of church as family. In summary, I’ve argued that we have a deep need for human connection, and when we lack it, we experience loneliness like a deep aching hunger. One of the central symbols of the church is a table around which we gather,…
Church for a lonely city
On Sunday I spoke on the subject of church as family, and I argued that the church is God’s means for meeting one of humanity’s greatest needs – strong, deep relational connection. It is to be the place where, as Psalm 68:6 says, ‘God sets the lonely in families.’ This should be great news for our…
Kingdom Come: Family (Mark 3)
Loneliness in an epidemic, which leaves us feeling empty, and points to our deep need for human connection. In this talk, Liam considers how the church is God’s plan for dealing with the problem of loneliness, by placing the lonely in families. Listen or download audio
Sowing Our Tears (Psalm 126)
All of us go through painful times, where hope seems absent and tears are plentiful. In this talk, Liam reflects on Psalm 126 and considers how we can sow our tears to reap a harvest of joy. (mp3)
A Place to Belong (Mark 2)
Why is community important for our emotional health? And what can the story of 5 guys and a mat teach us about building deep relationships? (mp3)
Church Without Make Up
A short reflection on church, beauty and Ephesians 5
Liam Thatcher 