Christ Church Balham Talks

How is it that the Christmas story meets our deepest needs? In this sermon we see how the prophet Micah foretold the world-changing birth of Jesus more than seven hundred years before it happened. How should we respond?

Come and find the gift of Christmas. We can't find the words to describe God's love for us, but we can see it made manifest in His gift for us. In John's letter he reminds that because of God's great love for us He send us his Son Jesus, so that we find life in him and truly love others.

What questions do we need answered before we will joyfully and willingly give generously to the needs of the church? In this passage Paul removes a number of stones from the soil so that the church might turn the gospel planted in them into an abundant crop of righteousness.

God created sexual desire on purpose. Its good. But what IS God's design for sex? But what does that mean if you are single? Or if even if you are married? OR if abuse in your background has brought suffering? Find out about God's design for us as sexual beings and his purpose in making us this way! It's a good thing, it's a God thing and Christian women need to start talking about it much more openly.

Money is power, and who would willingly relinquish power!? The beauty of the Christian message is that it motivates us to be generous, not through guilt or fear, but by God's grace overflowing from Jesus Christ.

When the church has become compromised or contaminated by the world, what will it take for our hearts to actually desire to repent? In these chapters Paul makes a passionate appeal for the Corinthians to repent whilst at the same time convincing them that he is absolutely for them.

Being a public follower of Jesus is undoubtedly hazardous, so we need to know: is it worth the risk? In this passage Paul persuades that it is worth sticking with his gospel, because in Christ we are given a new start and a new job.

This week we see God's power in human weakness. In Samson we see the danger of sinful habits, but more so the grace of God. Come and see how Samson, the weak saviour, points us to the true and better saviour, Jesus.

What kind of saviour do we need? In today's passage we see that Samson is the hero we deserve, he is just like us, but not the one we need. We need a saviour who is pure and fights for his people out of love rather than revenge.

Who will deliver us from the cycle of idolatry and oppression in our lives? In Judges 13 we see that Israel, and us, are trapped in a cycle of misery that is of our own making. But God moves in grace to send us a deliverer. We need a God-sent deliverer who can deliver us once and for all.

If Christians are a living advert for Jesus' kingdom, do our various weaknesses and failings help or hinder? In this beautiful passage Paul maps his ministry onto the pattern established by Jesus - he does not work despite our weaknesses, he works through them.

Many of us find the prospect of sharing Jesus with others difficult, especially when we experience mixed results. What will keep us from either losing heart or changing our message so that it is more palatable? In this passage we learn from Paul what keeps him from losing heart and giving up altogether.

Is our good news really that glorious if it keeps getting mixed reviews from those we share it with? In this passage Paul responds to accusations that his gospel lacks glory by showing how it differs from the merit-based ‘gospel' being pedalled by the super-apostles in Corinth.

At this women's breakfast, Lydia speaks from Philippians 4:10-23

Sharing the good news of Jesus with others can be a daunting prospect, so what qualifies us for this ministry? In this passage we are encouraged to see that the same gospel which saves us is the same one which equips us to herald Christ to the world around us.

With Paul's relationship to the Corinthian church under threat, how can he convince them (and us) of the biblical pattern of ministry? Why is integrity so important to leadership?

What does an authentic Christian life look like in a world marked by weakness and struggle? How can we experience God's comfort in our own trials and then extend that comfort to others? Discover how true gospel living reflects God's heart—bringing encouragement, endurance, and hope to those in need.

What does a profitable ministry look like? How can we ensure that our lives as individual Christians are productive? Titus 3 holds the answer…

At this special Ordination service Tim Davies guides us through Acts as the early church encounters problems as it grows and decides its priorities based on Jesus' principles.

Join us as we explore Psalm 5 in our summer series looking through the Psalms.

Join us as we explore Psalm 4 in our summer series looking through the Psalms.

Join us as we continue our summer sermon series of Psalms.

Join us as we continue our summer sermon series of Psalms.

Join us for the first in our summer sermon series of Psalms.

At this women's breakfast, Jules speaks from Philippians 4:2-9

Many of us go through life desperate to win people's approval, whether our parents, our bosses, or a significant other. But how can we know if we have God's approval? In this passage we are shown where we should look and where we should not look for certainty.

The New Testament teaches that in Christ we are a new creation, but in this passage we see why it is so necessary for demolition to precede construction. For God to build up, he must first tear down.

How can we be made eternally safe? Noah's ark is often dismissed as just being only for children, but the message is profound. In anticipation of Jesus Christ, here we see a righteous redeemer building a safe sanctuary in order to redeem creation from corruption.

If dying is simply a natural biological process (as some argue), then why does it just feel so wrong? In this very strange passage we see not only what causes death, but also where living hope can be found.

What actually IS rest?? Jesus answers the question - with masses of grace and lots of surprise too. Discover the vital role that believers play in helping each other experience this rest.

How restful is your home? Discover why that is a biblical question, and how we haven't yet arrived in the ultimate place of rest.

How much does God care about rest? And how can we find rest in a restless and busy world?

How do we make sense of our world, which is so full of beauty and joy, and also much pain and heartache? Genesis 4 is our first glimpse of life outside Eden and as such it contains so much explanatory power as we continue our search for the promised serpent crusher.

How have we lost Eden? How can we start again?

At this women's breakfast, Rosy speaks from Philippians 3:12-4:1

What was humanity created for? In Genesis 2 we discover that Adam's story is a microcosm of Israel's story. But where Adam, Israel, and we have failed, Jesus Christ succeeded. We root our purpose in him.

As a result of being encouraged to manufacture our own meaning and purpose in life, we live in a confused and anxious culture. It is liberating to see how Genesis 1 shows us the Creator who gives us a clear identity, ethics and purpose in life.

Meditation Service, Good Friday 2025

You can change! Jesus gives gigantic hope and the essential key to how we can bear beautiful fruit in our lives.

In a confusing, uncertain and threatening world, Jesus speaks with crystal clarity - he is the only way to God.

Discover why Jesus is the good shepherd who seeks us and does not abandon us.

Distinctives - Why we believe what we believe that is secondary but important. Why we baptise infants of believers.

Why did Jesus call himself “the gate”? Discover the warning, the challenge and the life-giving invitation of Jesus' words…

Distinctives - Why we believe what we believe that is secondary but important. Why we are not homogenous.

What does Jesus mean when he calls himself “the Light of the world”? A daring and divine claim that is both life-giving and calls for a very serious response.

Guest preacher James Poole (Wycliffe Bible Translators) begins our I AM series - exploring the divine claims of Jesus and the life he gives. As “The Bread of Life”, he is what we need to live, and we access him through his words of life.

At this women's breakfast, Bea speaks from Philippians 3:1-11 and then follows an interview with church member Rebekah.

Paul brings his letter to a close with a barrage of diverse commands, but all of them relate to the practical mechanics of how we might continue to grow in holiness and hope in the midst of hardship.

How is that Christians can grieve with certain hope? In this passage Paul explains that our eternal future is tied to Christ's death, resurrection and return - which transforms not only how we die, but also how we live.

Distinctives - Why we believe what we believe that is secondary but important. Why we value arts and culture.

How ambitious should we be as Christians with regards to sexual holiness and generosity? By what standard should we measure whether we are sanctified enough? In this passage we see Paul's fatherly heart for the Thessalonians as he encourages them to pursue holiness and love "more and more"