Firm Foundations

Firm Foundations

In September we will be looking at how Jesus came to bring us a full and flourishing life, built on firm foundations. We’ll explore what we need to enable our lifestyle to hold this amazing offer of Kingdom life.

The Christian life is a calling into spiritual community, where relationship with God is expressed in relationships within the community of the Kingdom of God, the Church.

It’s always been like this. The 10 Commandments given to Moses talk about right worship and honouring of God and right behaviour in the community. Jesus said the greatest commandment is ‘To love the lord your God with all your heart soul mind and strength’ AND ‘to love your neighbour as yourself’.

In the Woodlands Church Family, we are taking time to emphasise four essential characteristics of the Christian life as our foundational practices, or building blocks, for the normal Christian life.

Our sermon series this month will unpack these foundational priorities:

• Bible - 6th September

• Generosity - 13th September

• Prayer - 20th September

• Community - 27th September

Though they overlap in how they help us love God and love our neighbour you can see how the emphasis of Bible and Prayer build our relationship with God, and Generosity and Community build our relationships with one another.

We’d encourage everyone to look at our additional resources to help them apply this teaching to their everyday life in practical ways.

• Discussion Notes

• Tips & Resources

See you on Sundays or catchup on the Livesteam!

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Proverbs

Proverbs

In August we will be looking at the book of Proverbs and reflecting on the theme of wisdom.

Proverbs is part of the wisdom literature of the Bible (along with Job, Ecclesiastes and Song of Songs). The Hebrew word for Proverb is ‘Māšāl’ which can be translated as ‘taunt’, ‘oracle’ or ‘parable’ or from a verb meaning ‘to be like’, and so mean a comparison. Proverbs is made up of short, pithy sayings, drawn from everyday life and meant to be memorable.

There are a number of characters who appear throughout the book: the wise and the righteous in comparison to the simple; the fool; the scoffer; the sluggard and the wicked. The examples and illustrations are at times comic, playing with words or creating word pictures which are vivid and memorable.

What is wisdom? Wisdom in the OT is ‘the ability to cope with life’. The book of Proverbs covers a wide range of topics that we face in life. The ability of the individual to conduct their life in the best possible way and to the best possible effect. Not just an intellectual experience of learning, but lived out in the reality of life.

Our evening talks in this series at Woodlands Central will look at the below topics:

• Introduction to Proverbs - 2nd August

• Family, Foundation, Formation - 9th August

• The Deep Places - 16th August

• Proverbs, Jesus & Paul - 23rd August

• 30th August

Note - there are no discussion notes this month as all our midweek groups are on a summer break.

See you on Sundays or catchup on the Livesteam!

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Wise Up

Wise Up

In August we will be looking at the book of Proverbs and reflecting on the theme of wisdom.

Proverbs is part of the wisdom literature of the Bible (along with Job, Ecclesiastes and Song of Songs). The Hebrew word for Proverb is ‘Māšāl’ which can be translated as ‘taunt’, ‘oracle’ or ‘parable’ or from a verb meaning ‘to be like’, and so mean a comparison. Proverbs is made up of short, pithy sayings, drawn from everyday life and meant to be memorable.

There are a number of characters who appear throughout the book: the wise and the righteous in comparison to the simple; the fool; the scoffer; the sluggard and the wicked. The examples and illustrations are at times comic, playing with words or creating word pictures which are vivid and memorable.

What is wisdom? Wisdom in the OT is ‘the ability to cope with life’. The book of Proverbs covers a wide range of topics that we face in life. The ability of the individual to conduct their life in the best possible way and to the best possible effect. Not just an intellectual experience of learning, but lived out in the reality of life.

Our morning talks in this series at Woodlands Central will look at the below topics:

• Fear the Lord - 2nd August

• Come in here - 9th August

• Guard Your Heart - 16th August

• Watch Your Mouth - 23rd August

• Take Correction - 30th August

Note - there are no discussion notes this month as all our midweek groups are on a summer break.

See you on Sundays or catchup on the Livesteam!

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Friend of God

Friend of God

In our Sunday evening services this July we are exploring what it means to become a friend of God. Friendship with God is our original inheritance, tarnished at the fall and fully restored by Jesus who said to his disciples. 'I no longer call you servants but friends'. What are the characteristics of friends of God as described in various characters in the bible? Can we grow in our friendship with God, and do we need to be warned about rival 'friendships' (James 4:4) that could spoil our friendship with God?

Our evening talks in this series at Woodlands Central will look at the below topics:

• Prophetic Intercessor - 5th July

• Servant Leader - 12th July

• Intimate Home Builder - 19th July

• Risk Taker and Willing to Suffer - 26th July

Download our discussion notes to go deeper with the topics each week.

• Friend of God - Discussion Notes

See you on Sundays or catchup on the Livesteam!

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Set Apart

Set Apart

On Sunday mornings in July, this series is exploring 1 Peter 1 & 2 where Peter is writing to the scattered believers, who are mostly non-Jewish, in modern day Turkey. He wants to encourage them to live for Jesus in the face of hostility and suffering. Peter’s letter has a lot to teach us about living as Christians in a culture where Jesus’ followers are in the minority as we navigate the pressures of our identity as a community of believers who are distinct and set apart for Jesus. Peter wants to emphasise that we are chosen by God to be holy witnesses to a watching world.

Our morning talks in this series at Woodlands Central will look at the below topics:

• Chosen by God - 5th July

• Be Holy - 12th July

• The New Community - 19th July

• Witnesses to a Watching World - 26th July

Download our discussion notes to go deeper with the topics each week.

• Set Apart - Discussion Notes

See you on Sundays or catchup on the Livesteam!

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1 Thessalonians Series

Kingdom Living in A Hostile World

In our Sunday evening services this June we are exploring the book of 1 Thessalonians, which is probably the earliest New Testament document we have and speaks to encourage new believers living in the context of opposition and persecution.

It is timelessly helpful as we reflect on what it means to live counter cultural lives yet lives that are appealing to the secular world.

This book also deals with Christian hope and the context of the return of Jesus, an issue which pre-occupies many in our own generation as we see societal instability and global challenges. 

Watch this short animation from the Bible Project to get an overview of the book

• 1 Thessalonians: Summary Video

Our evening talks in this series at Woodlands Central will look at the below topics:

• Faith in a Pressured Environment - 7th June

• Global Partners Weekend - 14th June

• Counter Cultural Living - 21st June

• Hope in the Return of Christ - 28th June

Download our discussion notes to go deeper with the topics each week.

• Kingdom Living in a Hostile World - Discussion Notes

See you on Sundays or catchup on the Livesteam!

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The Jesus Manifesto

The Jesus Manifesto

This series explores Jesus declaration in Luke 4 that he was the fulfilment of an ancient Jewish prophecy outlined in Isaiah 61. Often described as a statement of intent at the launch of Jesus’ kingdom mission, John Wimber referred to it as Jesus’ “Messianic Manifesto.” When Jesus enters the synagogue in Capernaum it is a provocative beginning to his ministry. The moment ultimately leads to him being driven out of town, as the local people and religious leaders react with anger.

Jesus announces that He has come to bring good news to the poor, freedom to captives, healing to the broken, and restoration to all. This marks a turning point in the biblical story: God’s Kingdom is no longer distant, but present and active through Him. The manifesto is not just about Jesus - it becomes the calling of His followers. Christians are invited to both receive and carry this transforming work of the Holy Spirit into the world.

Our morning talks in this series at Woodlands Central will look at the below topics:

• Kingdom Now - 7th June

• The Spirit for All - 14th June (Global Partners Weekend)

• Freedom Carriers - 21st June

• Sent to Restore - 28th June

Download our discussion notes to go deeper with the topics each week.

• The Jesus Manifesto - Discussion Notes

See you on Sundays or catchup on the Livesteam!

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The Living Presence

The Living Presence

In May we will be preaching on the Holy Spirit. Our conviction is that we need a deeper work of the Holy Spirit in our lives together. We too often reduce the role and scope of the Holy Spirit to church gatherings only. We want to look at the work of the Holy Spirit in the Old Testament and how this still has relevance in our lives today. Join us as we pray ‘Come Holy Spirit’. 

Our evening talks in this series at Woodlands Central will look at the below topics:

• The Creating Spirit - 10th May

• The Empowering Spirit - 17th May

• The Anointing Spirit - 24th

• The Prophetic Spirit - 31st May

Download our discussion notes to go deeper with the topics each week.

The Living Presence - Discussion Notes

See you on Sundays or catchup on the Livesteam!

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Pentecost Power

Pentecost Power

It's impossible to overstate the importance of Pentecost and the work of the Spirit. Jesus is introduced in all four gospels as the one who will 'baptise in the Holy Spirit' and his promise to the disciples before his ascension in Acts 1 is that in a few days they will be baptised with the Holy Spirit. The work of the Spirit is essential in all Christian life and ministry and in the imitation of Christ in character and conduct. We can do nothing on our own. This mini-series looks at preparing for power, the experience of empowering and living an empowered life.

Our Evening talks in this series at Woodlands Central will look at the below topics:

• Preparing for Power - 17th May

• Pentecost Power - 24th May

• Transforming Power - 31st May

Download our discussion notes to go deeper with the topics each week.

Pentecost Power - Discussion Notes

See you on Sundays or catchup on the Livesteam!

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Small is Beautiful

Small is Beautiful

Followers of Jesus are called to make disciples. Discipleship happens therefore in the context of relationship. Christians meet in varied sized groups, but the truth is the larger the context the poorer it is at making disciples. Large gatherings are great for lots of things and play their part in the discipleship process, but the most effective mediums for discipleship are small.

Our evening talks in this series at Woodlands Central will look at the below topics:

• Mentoring, Elijah & Elisha - 19th April

• Mentoring, Paul & Timothy - 26th April

• The Power of a Small Group for discipleship - 3rd May

• Small is Church too - 10th May

Download our discussion notes to go deeper with the topics each week.

Small is Beautiful - Discussion Notes

See you on Sundays or catchup on the Livesteam!

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Mentoring, Elijah & Elisha
19th April at 6:30p.m. with Clare Thompson

Resurrection Life

Resurrection Life

Having celebrated the risen Jesus on Easter Sunday, we want to explore the reality of a resurrected Jesus. What does that mean for us today to know Jesus as our risen Lord? We’re going to look at 3 encounters Jesus had and how his resurrection life changed the lives of those he met. Our prayer is that the same resurrected Jesus will meet us and change us today. 

Our morning talks in this series at Woodlands Central will look at the below topics:

• Living Faith - 12th April

• Living Hope - 19th April

• Living Mission - 26th April

Download our discussion notes to go deeper with the topics each week.

Resurrection Life - Discussion Notes

See you on Sundays or catchup on the Livesteam!

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Living Hope
19th April at 11 a.m. with Hazel Askew

Living Faith
12th April at 11 a.m. with Dave Mitchell

Self Sacrificial Love

Self Sacrificial Love

The Way of The Cross

At the heart of Jesus’ ministry is His self-sacrificial love exemplified by the way of the cross that He chose. The challenge to His disciples is to follow the way of self-sacrificial love ourselves. In this Lenten season our Sunday evening series will be exploring what it means to put that into practice. Jesus told his followers to take up their cross daily, and Paul writes ‘offer your bodies to God as living sacrifices holy and pleasing to God. This is your spiritual act of worship’. These are hard words but paradoxically point to the pathway of life and freedom.’

Self sacrificial Love is at the heart of the ministry of Jesus and the example he sets us to follow. It is the grounding principle of this sermon series. It points the way to Easter.

Our evening talks in this series at Woodlands Central will look at the below topics:

• Sacrifice and Discipleship - 1st March

• Sacrifice and Leadership - 8th March

• Sacrifice and Worship - 15th March

• Sacrifice and Resources - 22nd March

• Sacrifice and Salvation - 29th March

Download our discussion notes to go deeper with the topics each week.

Self Sacrificial Love - Discussion Notes

See you on Sundays or catchup on the Livesteam!

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Sacrifice and Salvation
29th March at 6:30 p.m. with Dave Mitchell

Sacrifice and Resources
22nd March at 6:30 p.m. with Tim Dobson

Sacrifice and Worship
15th March at 6:30 p.m. with Nigel Savage

Sacrifice and Leadership
8th March at 6:30 p.m. with Dave Roderick

Sacrifice and Discipleship
1st March at 6:30 p.m. with Clare Thompson

Question Mark

Question Mark

Key Questions in Mark that Lead to the Cross

In this new March series, we’re exploring the defining questions in the second half of the Gospel of Mark - questions that lead us step by step toward the cross and the empty tomb. Each question invites us to look again at who Jesus is, what He came to do, and what it truly means to follow Him.

We’ll wrestle with identity, goodness, authority, suffering, and resurrection hope. Along the way, we’ll see how easy it is to think in merely human ways and how desperately we need revelation from God to see clearly.

The aim is to help those who are still exploring faith consider the most important question they will ever answer “Who is Jesus?” while also inviting long-time believers into a deeper understanding of Christ’s mission, His authority, and the life-changing power of His death and resurrection.

Our morning talks in this series at Woodlands Central will look at the below topics:

• Who do you say I am? - 8th March

• Why do you call me Good? - 15th March

• By what Authority? - 22nd March

• My God, My God, Why have you Forsaken me? - 29th March

• Who will Roll the Stone? - 5th April

Download our discussion notes to go deeper with the topics each week.

Question Mark - Discussion Notes

See you on Sundays or catchup on the Livesteam!

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Who Will Roll Away the Stone?
5th April at 11 a.m. with Nigel Savage

My God, My God, Why have you Forsaken me?
29th March at 11 a.m. with Jake Perrins

By What Authority?
22nd March at 11am with Dave Mitchell

Why Do You Call Me Good?
15th March at 11am with Anna Anderson

Who Do You Say I Am?
8th March at 11am with Clare Thompson

Renovation of the Heart

Renovation of the Heart

Unpacking the Power of Repentance

“The quest for spiritual formation (really, as indicated, spiritual transformation) is in fact an age-old and worldwide one. It is rooted in the deep personal and even biological need for goodness that haunts humanity.”
Dallas Willard, Renovation of the Heart

In this series we are exploring the transforming power of repentance. We want to look at confession, receiving forgiveness, healing, and taking spiritual authority in areas that were once places of defeat. The aim is to ground new Christians in these essential foundational practices but also to offer long-term believers a renewed experience of grace.

Our morning and evening talks in this series at Woodlands Central will look at the below topics:

• Repentance and Transformation - 1st February

• The Prayer of Confession - 8th February

• Repentance and the Heart of God - 15th February

• Repentance and Spiritual Revitalisation - 22nd February

Download our discussion notes to go deeper with the topics each week.

Renovation of the Heart - Discussion Notes

See you on Sundays or catchup on the Livesteam!

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Repentance and Transformation
1st Feb at 11 a.m. with Nigel Savage

The Prayer of Confession
8th Feb at 11 a.m. with Hazel Askew

Repentance and The Heart of God
15th Feb at 11 a.m. with Rachel Riddall

Repentance and Spiritual Revitalisation
22nd Feb at 11 a.m. with Dave Mitchell

Repentance and Transformation
1st Feb at 6:30 p.m. with Clare Thompson

The Prayer of Confession
8th Feb at 6:30 p.m. with Dave Mitchell

Repentance and The Heart of God
15th Feb at 6:30 p.m. with Matt Dobson

Repentance and Spiritual Revitalisation
22nd Feb at 6:30 p.m. with Rachel Riddall

Prayer is the Key

Prayer is the Key

We want to start the new year with a focus on prayer which will include the WCF Prayer Week (18th-25th). During September 25 Prayer Week at Central we felt God say to us ‘prayer is the key’. We want to use this series to unpack what that means. The aim of this series is to encourage, provoke, teach and deepen our corporate and individual prayer life. 

Our morning and evening talks in this series at Woodlands Central will look at the below topics:

• The Future Now - 4th January

• Vision Sunday - 11th January

• Keeping in Step with the Spirit - 18th January

• Keeping Watch, Keeping Guard - 25th January

Download our discussion notes to go deeper with the topics each week.

Prayer is the Key - Discussion Notes

See you on Sundays or catchup on the Livesteam!

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The Future Now
4th Jan at 11.00am with Clare Thompson

Keeping in Step with the Spirit
18th Jan at 11am with David Mitchell

Keeping Watch, Keeping Guard
25th Jan at 11am with Hazel Askew

The Future Now
4th Jan at 6.30pm with Clare Thompson

Vision Sunday
11th Jan at 6.30pm with Rachel Riddall & Nigel Savage

Keeping in Step with the Spirit
18th Jan at 6.30pm with David Mitchell

Baptism Sunday
25th Jan at 6.30pm with Nigel Savage

Kingsized

Kingsized

“And He shall reign forever and ever, King of kings! and Lord of lords! 
Hallelujah Chorus by Georg Friedrich Handel 

He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over Jacob’s descendants forever; his kingdom will never end.

What kind of king is Jesus? In the fear, confusion and division around the world many long for a ‘strong leader’ who will lead us through troubled times, but sometimes leaders are the ones causing the chaos. In bible times the Israelites were led by God through a relationship mediated by spiritual leaders, but in their insecurity they begged God for a king, “a king to lead us, such as all the other nations have” thinking that this would give them status with their enemies, help them to win battles and expand their kingdom. They wanted an impressive, stronger, more visible leader, a kingsized leader! God warns them that that they will lose more than they will gain and true enough, they got their king and it brought them all kinds of trouble! (1 Sam 1: 8). But then God promises them, one day I will send you a king who will lead like no other king. He will be powerful and victorious but also holy and humble. This is the kind of king that Jesus is.  

Our morning talks in this series at Woodlands Central will look at the below topics:

• A Humble King - 7th December

• An Unexpected King - 14th December

• A Wise King - 21st December

• A Peaceful King - 25th December

See you on Sundays or catchup on the Livesteam!

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Disciplines of the Disciple

Disciplines of the Disciple

It is a truism to say that the discipleship life involves discipline. What differentiates it from legalism is about desire. The person with a desire to play a musical instrument or excel at sport chooses to make time to practice and develop skills and disciplines ‘because of the joy set before them’. It is not compulsion but choice.

Of course, sometimes the coach/tutor sets exercises that are demanding and not at first inherently pleasant, but even these become a joy once mastered. This series looks at Spiritual disciplines and picks up some areas of ‘discipline’ that we don’t talk as much about.

Our Evening talks in this series at Woodlands Central will look at the below topics:

• The Disciplined Life - 2nd November

• The Scriptures - 9th November

• The Tongue - 16th November

• Stewardship - 23rd November

• Pursuing the Spirit - 30th November

Download our discussion notes to go deeper with the topics each week.

Disciplines of the Disciples - Discussion Notes

See you on Sundays or catchup on the livesteam!

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MESSAGES FROM THIS SERIES

The Disciplined Life
2nd Nov at 6.30pm with Clare Thompson

The Tongue
16th Nov at 6.30pm with Jack Saunders

The Scriptures
9th Nov at 6.30pm with Tim Dobson

Stewardship
23rd Nov at 6.30pm with Deborah Marsh

Tough Talk

Tough Talk

Our November morning sermon series looks at some of Jesus’ teaching from the Gospels which can be hard. Hard to understand or hard to put into practice, or both! Jesus’ call to take up our cross and follow him comes at a cost but the benefits are always rich, deep and wide as we surrender every area of our lives to him and learn how to be his disciples.

Our Morning talks in this series at Woodlands Central will look at the below topics:

• The Way of the Cross - 2nd November

• Friend of Sinners - 9th November

• Love Your Enemies - 16th November

• Two Masters - 23rd November

• Authentic Faith - 30th November

Download our discussion notes to go deeper with the topics each week.

Tough Talk - Discussion Notes

See you on Sundays or catchup on the livesteam!

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MESSAGES FROM THIS SERIES

The Way of the Cross
2nd Nov at 11am with Rachel Riddall

Love Your Enemies
16th Nov at 11am with Hazel Askew

Friend of Sinners
9th Nov at 11am with Nigel Savage

Two Masters
23rd Nov at 11am with David Mitchell

Kingdom Community

Kingdom Community

The Christian life was never meant to be lived alone. Jesus calls us into His Kingdom, a community under His rule, living out His ways, and showing the world what love looks like. Over these weeks we’ll explore what it means to belong to the body of Christ, to practice the “one another” commands, to join in God’s work of Kingdom growth, and to honour Him even in our bodies and relationships.

Our Evening talks in this series at Woodlands Central will look at the below topics:

• The Body of Christ - 5th October

• One Another - 12th October

• Kingdom Expansion - 19th October

• Sex God? - 26th October

  Helpful Resources

  • The Dark reality and effects of pornography on a generation with Melinda Tankard Reist

  • Naked Truth Project

  • Restored UK

Download our discussion notes to go deeper with the topics each week.

Kingdom Community - Discussion Notes

See you on Sundays or catchup on the livesteam!

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MESSAGES FROM THIS SERIES

The Body of Christ
5th October at 6.30pm with Dave Roderick

Kingdom Expansion
19th October at 6.30pm with Matt Dobson

One Another
12th October at 6.30pm with Laura Harris

Sex God?
26th October at 6.30pm with David Mitchell

Called to Worship

Called to Worship

This October we are looking to come together as a church to take a fresh look at worship and the place it takes in our lives individually and as a worshipping community in a world that worships many things other than God. The context for this series is the Exodus story but we also want to reference how this points to Jesus and how we worship him. The story of the Exodus is the pivotal salvation event of the OT. The story is driven by God’s desire for his people to worship him. He wants a people for himself who will worship him exclusively. God frees people from the powers of Egypt in one night but the challenge of idolatry in the hearts of the people takes many years to remove. There are many aspects of worship that are seen in the Exodus

narrative, from the Passover, the presence of God, establishing the tabernacle as a place of worship of God and being filled with the glory of God. It’s also a story of human failings, idolatry, grumbling and judgement.

Our Morning talks in this series at Woodlands Central will look at the below topics:

• Free(d) to Worship - 5th October

• Sacrificial Worship - 12th October

• Worship as Resistance - 19th October

• Encountering God’s Presence in Worship - 26th October

Download our discussion notes to go deeper with the topics each week.

Called to Worship - Discussion Notes

See you on Sundays or catchup on the livesteam!

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MESSAGES FROM THIS SERIES

Freed to Worship
5th October at 11am with Hazel Askew

Worship as Resistance
19th October at 11am with Rachel Riddall

Sacrificial Worship
12th October at 11am with Tim Dobson

Encountering God’s Presence in Worship
26th October at 11am with Jake Perrins