Holy Habits
This series is a chance to take a good look at various aspects of our Christian lives. Some call them Holy Habits, some call them Spiritual Disciplines, those things which draw us closer and deeper into God and which in turn enable us to live fulfilled lives in God’s eyes – or as Jesus puts it ‘Life in all its fullness’.
Starting in September 2017 – on every third Sunday – our 9:00 and 10:30 services and sermons will be looking at how we grow as followers of Jesus. To live the sort of life we’ve always wanted.
Starting in September 2017 – on every third Sunday – our 9:00 and 10:30 services and sermons will be looking at how we grow as followers of Jesus. To live the sort of life we’ve always wanted.
| welcome.docx.pdf |
You can also join in the conversation on our Facebook Group for Holy Habits: www.facebook.com/groups/267574210421687/
Sunday 10th September - Session 0: Introduction
What does a spiritually mature person look like? Why does it seem so hard, and go so slowly? Will I ever really be any different? I am disappointed that I still love God so little and sin so much.
Yet I am called by God to live as my uniquely created self. I can increasingly live as Jesus would in my unique place; to perceive what Jesus would perceive if he looked through my eyes; to think what he would think; to feel what he would feel and therefore to do what he would do.
What does a spiritually mature person look like? Why does it seem so hard, and go so slowly? Will I ever really be any different? I am disappointed that I still love God so little and sin so much.
Yet I am called by God to live as my uniquely created self. I can increasingly live as Jesus would in my unique place; to perceive what Jesus would perceive if he looked through my eyes; to think what he would think; to feel what he would feel and therefore to do what he would do.
| session_0.docx.pdf |
| Holy Habits: Introduction - Chris Hill - 10.09.2017.mp3 |
Sunday 17th September - Session 1: Joy and Celebration
I find that I am in danger of spending most of my life waiting to live rather than living! Preoccupied, self-obsessed. The very selfishness that keeps me from pouring myself out for the joy of others also keeps me from noticing and delighting in the myriad small gifts God offers each day.
But joy is at the heart of God.
I find that I am in danger of spending most of my life waiting to live rather than living! Preoccupied, self-obsessed. The very selfishness that keeps me from pouring myself out for the joy of others also keeps me from noticing and delighting in the myriad small gifts God offers each day.
But joy is at the heart of God.
| session_1.docx.pdf |
| Holy Habits: Celebration - Chris Hill - 17.09.2017.mp3 |
Sunday 15th October - Session 2: Reflecting on the Bible
Jesus encourages us to "be transformed by the renewing of our minds". St Paul suggests we can be "washed by the word", so let's start reading the Bible in a way that will allow it to purify our hearts and help us live as Jesus would in our place.
Jesus encourages us to "be transformed by the renewing of our minds". St Paul suggests we can be "washed by the word", so let's start reading the Bible in a way that will allow it to purify our hearts and help us live as Jesus would in our place.
| session_2.pdf |
| Holy Habits: Reflecting on the Bible - Chris Hill - 15.10.2017 .mp3 |
Sunday 19th November - Session 3: Developing a Servant Heart
Jesus said that the essence of spiritual life is to love God and to love people. Pride can move us to exclude instead of embrace so we need to develop the grace of humility through the discipline of service.
Jesus said that the essence of spiritual life is to love God and to love people. Pride can move us to exclude instead of embrace so we need to develop the grace of humility through the discipline of service.
| session_3.docx.pdf |
| Holy Habits: Developing a Servant Heart - Chris Hill - 19.11.2017.mp3 |
Sunday 21st January - Session 4: Prayer
It’s OK to pray when we are desperate, instinctively. That might even spark a more constructive spiritual life. But if we only pray when all other options are exhausted we miss out! Prayer does not happen automatically; even for Jesus’ first followers who had a front row seat to watch the master of prayer, seeing his face “changed, and his clothes become as bright as a flash of lightning.” Prayer is learnt behaviour. Nobody is born an expert but prayer can be learnt and developed.
It’s OK to pray when we are desperate, instinctively. That might even spark a more constructive spiritual life. But if we only pray when all other options are exhausted we miss out! Prayer does not happen automatically; even for Jesus’ first followers who had a front row seat to watch the master of prayer, seeing his face “changed, and his clothes become as bright as a flash of lightning.” Prayer is learnt behaviour. Nobody is born an expert but prayer can be learnt and developed.
| session_4.docx.pdf |
| Holy Habits: Prayer - Chris Hill - 21.01.2018.mp3 |
Sunday 18th February - Session 5: Giving
If we were to ask ourselves what is our biggest priority in life – many of us would say, “God – I’m all out for God,” but would our bank statement confirm what our mouth says? Our God is a generous God and he wants us to be generous like him. The Holy Habit he gave us for this is “tithing” - the practice of giving 10% of our income back to God.
If we were to ask ourselves what is our biggest priority in life – many of us would say, “God – I’m all out for God,” but would our bank statement confirm what our mouth says? Our God is a generous God and he wants us to be generous like him. The Holy Habit he gave us for this is “tithing” - the practice of giving 10% of our income back to God.
| session_5.docx.pdf |
| Holy Habits: Giving - Chris Hill - 18.02.2018.mp3 |
Sunday 18th March - Session 6: Confession
We all have things we regret in the wakeful, cold hours of the night where we wish we could go back and relive those haunting moments; those bad choices. But God freely forgives, and to help us fully appreciate what Jesus has done, he has given us the Holy Habit of Confession.
We all have things we regret in the wakeful, cold hours of the night where we wish we could go back and relive those haunting moments; those bad choices. But God freely forgives, and to help us fully appreciate what Jesus has done, he has given us the Holy Habit of Confession.
| session_6.pdf |
| Holy Habits: Confession - Chris Hill - 18.03.2018.mp3 |
Sunday 15th April - Session 7: Guidance
If we are to have a relationship with God that is in any sense personal and transformational, let’s expect to find God’s “leadings” or “promptings” from the Holy Spirit; that still, small voice, by cultivating the Holy Habit of Guidance.
If we are to have a relationship with God that is in any sense personal and transformational, let’s expect to find God’s “leadings” or “promptings” from the Holy Spirit; that still, small voice, by cultivating the Holy Habit of Guidance.
| session_7.pdf |
| Holy Habits: Guidance - Chris Hill - 15.04.2018.mp3 |
Sunday 20th May - Session 8: Baptism
A healthy, flourishing St Mary’s church family is one that habitually baptises new believers. Baptism is our common ground. We are all the same in this. We all stand before God in our brokenness and our need. We all come with open hands and open heart. When you strip everything else away, what is required of us as followers of Jesus, is to be baptised. As we are baptised, we experience a refilling of the Holy Spirit - to forgive, inspire, challenge, to make us resolute in our faith, to help us be re-formed from the inside out.
A healthy, flourishing St Mary’s church family is one that habitually baptises new believers. Baptism is our common ground. We are all the same in this. We all stand before God in our brokenness and our need. We all come with open hands and open heart. When you strip everything else away, what is required of us as followers of Jesus, is to be baptised. As we are baptised, we experience a refilling of the Holy Spirit - to forgive, inspire, challenge, to make us resolute in our faith, to help us be re-formed from the inside out.
| session_8.pdf |
| Holy Habits: Baptism - Chris Hill - 20.05.2018.mp3 |
Sunday 17th June - Session 9: Pastoral Care
At St Mary’s there are 30 people with a specific pastoral role. This is a wonderful resource. And then there are the home groups and other gatherings where people are noticed and cared for AND the individual acts of kindness. Let’s celebrate but also be real - there is still a journey to travel to make Pastoral Care a Holy Habit both as a church community and as individuals.
At St Mary’s there are 30 people with a specific pastoral role. This is a wonderful resource. And then there are the home groups and other gatherings where people are noticed and cared for AND the individual acts of kindness. Let’s celebrate but also be real - there is still a journey to travel to make Pastoral Care a Holy Habit both as a church community and as individuals.
| session_9.pdf |
| Holy Habits: Pastoral Care - Steve Clark - 17.06.2018.mp3 |
Sunday 15th July - Session 10: Slowing
Jesus had the whole City lined up at his door and was unable even to find time to eat. Does it seem like that in your household at the moment? Is hurry keeping you from living well? How do we take a step back and regain vision and strength for our lives?
Jesus had the whole City lined up at his door and was unable even to find time to eat. Does it seem like that in your household at the moment? Is hurry keeping you from living well? How do we take a step back and regain vision and strength for our lives?
| session_10.pdf |
| Holy Habits: Slowing - Chris Hill - 15.07.2018.mp3 |
Sunday 19th August - Session 11: Hospitality
God is love and he can’t help but continuously pour out his love and hospitality to all humans. The hospitality of God is amplified by the hospitality of believers. Jesus uses what others bring to come into the lives of other people. Hospitality is an essential calling of all Christians and of God’s Church. But being hospitable is not easy and like all Holy habits we need to practice this skill and make it a habit of living for Jesus.
God is love and he can’t help but continuously pour out his love and hospitality to all humans. The hospitality of God is amplified by the hospitality of believers. Jesus uses what others bring to come into the lives of other people. Hospitality is an essential calling of all Christians and of God’s Church. But being hospitable is not easy and like all Holy habits we need to practice this skill and make it a habit of living for Jesus.
| session_11.pdf |
| Holy Habits: Hospitality - Graham Biss - 19.08.2018.mp3 |
Sunday 16th September - Session 12: Way of Life
Looking at how we can put the 'Holy Habit's' together to live a new way of life as Jesus' followers: “This is the true joy in life, the being used for a purpose recognized by yourself as a mighty one; the being thoroughly worn out before you are thrown on the scrap heap; the being a force of nature instead of a feverish selfish little clod of ailments and grievances complaining that the world will not devote itself to making you happy.” George Bernard Shaw.
Looking at how we can put the 'Holy Habit's' together to live a new way of life as Jesus' followers: “This is the true joy in life, the being used for a purpose recognized by yourself as a mighty one; the being thoroughly worn out before you are thrown on the scrap heap; the being a force of nature instead of a feverish selfish little clod of ailments and grievances complaining that the world will not devote itself to making you happy.” George Bernard Shaw.
| session_12.pdf |
| Holy Habits: Way of Life - Chris Hill - 16.09.2018.mp3 |
Sunday 21st October - Session 13: Worship
We are created to be transcendent beings. Worship sets us free to live as intended - we come into the presence of the creator to be freed from addiction and idolatry – to live the way He designed us to live.
We are created to be transcendent beings. Worship sets us free to live as intended - we come into the presence of the creator to be freed from addiction and idolatry – to live the way He designed us to live.
| worship.pdf |
| Holy Habits: Worship - Chris Hill - 21.10.2018.mp3 |
Sunday 25th November - Session 14: Sharing Communion
In communion we remember together not alone. When we sit down together and break bread - we see Jesus in each others' eyes. As we come closer to Christ, in the breaking of the bread, so we come closer to each other.
In communion we remember together not alone. When we sit down together and break bread - we see Jesus in each others' eyes. As we come closer to Christ, in the breaking of the bread, so we come closer to each other.
| communion.pdf |
| Holy Habits: Sharing Communion - Chris Hill - 25.11.2018.mp3 |