Practices & Resources

'Abide' : to continue in a place, to rest, to sojourn

We have spent the last two years in our Sunday gatherings exploring what it means to be apprentices of Jesus - unpacking both his teachings and the way he lived his life: the habits, routines, practices and disciplines that sustained him. In 2026 we continue on this path, with particular emphasis on the John 15 teaching:"Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me. I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing." What did Jesus mean by this? How did he 'abide' in his Father? And how do we 'abide' in Jesus? 

In our initial series this year, we look into how we abide as God's beloved son or daughter (Recommended readings: Luke 15 'The Prodigal Son' and Henri Nouwen's "The Return of the Prodigal Son") and then jump into arguably the most important passage in the whole of the Old Testament to solidify our understanding of the character of the God we are abiding with. If our theology of God is off, we will be shaped into something that is not God. Good theology is so important. (Recommended reading: Exodus 34 and John Mark Comer's 'God Has a Name"). Mid 2026 we delve into how we abide as individuals within the larger faith community (Practicing the Way's 'Community Practice') and later in the year, we explore the person, presence, and power of the Holy Spirit ... the One through whom we abide (Recommended Reading: Taylor Staton 'The Familiar Stranger'). In amongst all that we have Lent and Easter, prayer and worship Sundays, missions and personal stories, and a Gumboot Sunday (where we head out to serve our local community).

I'm so looking forward to the year ahead, with its blend of doctrine, practice and empowerment - and to journeying it together. 

Tina Teope

Discipleship Pastor

Recommended Podcasts:

Much of our teaching in this series is based on John Mark Comer’s book ‘Practicing the Way’ and we highly recommend grabbing a copy of it, or tuning into his podcast vision series which does a fuller, more in depth dive into what it means to be with Jesus, become like him and do what he did.

Be With Jesus | Practicing the Way Vision Series E2 https://open.spotify.com/episode/1ZQemGtnjEX4FWHs4UA0bE?si=864e29143d044870

Hurry, the Great Enemy of the Spiritual Life | Practicing the Way Vision Series E10 https://open.spotify.com/episode/7KVPKLufiecoFNnnlQm8Yz?si=HKyd0IXLSaS9yy9zZCY_Vw

Can We Trust the Bible | Scripture Series E1 https://open.spotify.com/episode/0SM2q2Ijfes8ifaYIZp7p4?si=0Iluj_IIRF2gdnWeG7AF4w

The Bible As an Alternative Story | Scripture Series E2 https://open.spotify.com/episode/1t9haoflyaIL842vJX93Jw?si=gRmigox3T6ieVMuAh2EHLg

The Bible As Spiritual Authority | Scripture Series E3 https://open.spotify.com/episode/0XdUQy51AaL8bcfQr4Q2G5?si=ihCa6q8kRNupuqiuTbTa6A

To Starve the Flesh and Feed the Spirit | Fasting E1 https://open.spotify.com/episode/6djeiGeoIQZ3vJlpTOPjtq?si=598dc8b722b04ce0

To Pray | Fasting E2 https://open.spotify.com/episode/0pzDRXBIrT4frnytsAKfZN?si=e42edca7db54496e

The Propaganda of More | Simplicity E1 https://open.spotify.com/episode/4CvHrWeyzDUbMY49SnYKEX?si=3eb895d8d0a6492b

Simplicity of Heart| Simplicity E2 https://open.spotify.com/episode/3DWVPzjDCJA4BcKjTdmdAN?si=edb1e05e2e1249ab

Simplicity of Speech | Simplicity E3 https://open.spotify.com/episode/4oAdU7hC3VtbYKKczzIz4S?si=7fa9fbed319a4ce7

Simplicity of Stuff | Simplicity E4 https://open.spotify.com/episode/25Xi6De2EeUocseoPQMK3D?si=6bfb7a15c0934fc0

Jesus and the Lonely Place | Silence and Solitude E1 https://open.spotify.com/episode/5nJUl43JGrw6zh9kUVy0Z7?si=b6a8fe52fe4e42ff

Elijah and the Broom Tree | Silence and Solitude E2 https://open.spotify.com/episode/6NB9SqSNnxtF817V7Gn1rO?si=5f31e4de71f8498b

Recommended Readings: