Ivy Church

Why would God have to command us to rest? In this message from our Restoring the Heart series, Anthony Delaney explores the biblical rhythm of Sabbath — a gift we often resist but desperately need. From Deuteronomy to Genesis, from manna in the wilderness to the life of Jesus, we see that Sabbath is not laziness or legalism — it's trust. In a culture of constant productivity, digital distraction, and endless demand, Sabbath becomes an act of resistance. It's the weekly declaration: “God, You are God — and I am not.” This talk explores: • Why busyness can mask deeper identity struggles • How ignoring rest eventually leads to breakdown • The difference between recreation and restoration • The biblical pattern of fully ON and fully OFF • The three practical movements of Sabbath: Stop. Rest. Worship. Sabbath isn't a luxury for when life slows down — it's the practice that creates margin, restores the heart, and re-centres us in God's presence. What would it look like for you to choose one day in seven — not someday — and trust God enough to stop?

Where do you look for love — and where does your identity come from? In Week 1 of our new series How God Restores Your Heart, Anthony Delaney explores how true heart restoration always begins with restoring our identity. Drawing from 1 John 4, this message reveals that we are not meant to strive for love through performance, approval, perfection, or popularity — but to live from the unshakable love of God. Through powerful biblical insight and real-life reflection, Anthony shows how God's sacrificial love at the cross redefines our worth, drives out fear, and makes our hearts His home. When we stop performing and start receiving, transformation begins from the inside out. This talk invites anyone who feels exhausted from striving to come home to the love that heals, restores, and anchors who we truly are.

What does it really mean to give God all of your life — not just the easy parts? In this powerful message, Louise Yuill unpacks Romans 12:1–2 and explores how true restoration comes through daily surrender. As we place our whole lives before God — our struggles, distractions, fears, and hopes — He transforms us from the inside out, renewing our minds and restoring our hearts. Louise connects biblical truth with real life, neuroscience, and the refining work of God's Spirit, showing how lasting change is a process that leads to freedom, healing, and fullness of life. Like silver in the refiner's fire, God removes what doesn't belong so His image can shine through us. This talk invites us to rebuild the altar of worship, offer ourselves as living sacrifices, and trust God's perfect will as He makes all things new.

First Fruits Sunday is a moment of recalibration — a chance to recentre our lives around who God is and what truly matters. In this message, Anthony explores how generosity flows from identity, not pressure, and why putting God first is ultimately an act of trust, love, and restored relationship. Rooted in Scripture from Genesis to the New Testament, this talk reframes First Fruits not as a law to follow, but as a kingdom principle that runs through the whole Bible. From Abel's offering, to Christ as the First Fruits of the resurrection, to our own identity as adopted children and heirs of God, we see a consistent invitation: when God is first, everything else is rightly ordered. This message introduces a powerful image — that as God's children, we live from an inheritance, not insecurity. We don't give to earn God's favour; we give because we already have it. First Fruits becomes a declaration that God is our source, our provider, and our King — and that we trust Him with our future. In this Year of Restoration, First Fruits is about more than finances. It's about restoring God's rightful place in our hearts, our priorities, and our lives — offering our first and best, not out of obligation, but with joy, faith, and confidence in our generous Father.

What happens when painful seasons feel like they'll never end? In this powerful Ivy Central talk, Anthony Delaney reminds us of a repeated promise woven throughout Scripture: “It came to pass.” Not to stay — but to pass. Drawing on stories from Joseph, David, and the people of Israel, Anthony explores how God meets us in the middle of suffering, validates real pain, and gently leads us toward healing and hope. This message creates space for the Holy Spirit — our Counsellor and Comforter — to restore hearts and remind us that every season has a shelf life. Whether you're in the middle of something difficult, processing past pain, or simply needing fresh hope, this talk is a reminder that God is present in every moment — and He is always leading us toward restoration. ⸻

As we prepare for Firstfruits, this message reminds us that generosity is never really about money — it's about God, His grace, and what He is restoring within us. Drawing from 2 Corinthians 8–9, Anthony explores how Christian generosity flows not from pressure, obligation, or fear, but from a heart that truly knows the grace of Jesus. Before God ever asks anything of us, He gives everything — Christ Himself, who became poor so that we might become rich in life, hope, forgiveness, and purpose. This talk reframes stewardship as worship. It challenges us to see generosity not as loss, but as trust; not as subtraction, but as eternal investment. As God restores our hearts in this Year of Restoration, He also restores our perspective — freeing us from control, fear, and scarcity, and inviting us into the joy of putting Him first. This is an invitation to pray, prepare, and listen for what “first and best” looks like for you — not out of compulsion, but out of love. Because when grace restores generosity, our lives begin to overflow with gratitude, joy, and impact far beyond ourselves.

What does it really mean for God to “restore your soul”? In this message from Psalm 23, Matt Donaldson explores how true restoration isn't about fixing our behaviour or striving to improve ourselves — it's about allowing the Good Shepherd to gently return us to who we were created to be. This is not a crisis psalm, but a confession of deep security, belonging, and confidence in God's presence through every season of life. As David walks through green pastures and dark valleys alike, we discover the things that hinder soul restoration — pride, busyness, fear, sin, self-centredness — and the practices and postures that invite healing: humility, stillness, righteousness, trust, and intimacy with God. This talk is an invitation to slow down, breathe deeply, and let God search, heal, and renew the inner places of your life. As we learn to live from the presence of the Shepherd — not just for Him, but with Him — our souls are restored, our perspective shifts, and we rediscover peace, purpose, and hope that overflows. Come expecting a gentle, honest, and life-giving moment with God — a breath of fresh air for your soul.

GOD'S PLANS FOR YOUR RESTORATION — WEEK 2 Learning “The Unforced Rhythms of Grace”

Year of... by Ivy Church Podcast

In the Christmas story, the most unlikely visitors became the first worshippers. The Magi weren't prophets, priests, or spiritual elites. They were outsiders. Seekers. Star-gazers. Question-askers. Spiritual explorers. Yet they were the ones who followed the light they had — and found Jesus. In this fourth message of our Advent series The Crown & The Cradle, Anthony Delaney unpacks what the journey of the Magi teaches us about how God still draws people today: 1️⃣ They Followed the Light They Had God often starts with a whisper — an ache, a question, a sense that “there must be more.” Like the Magi, many today are being quietly drawn toward Jesus, even if they don't fit the religious mould. 2️⃣ They Let Go of What They Knew To follow the King, the wise men had to leave comfort, reputation, and certainty behind. God still calls us to lay down our assumptions, our self-made stories, and open ourselves to something bigger. 3️⃣ They Opened Their Treasures — and Went Home Different Their journey didn't end in front of a baby — it started there. They bowed. They worshipped. They offered their best. And they went home by another road, because an encounter with Jesus always changes your direction. Maybe you're watching because God is drawing you. Maybe you've felt the whisper. The tug. The hunger. The King is still looking for those who are looking for Him.

What do you do when life doesn't go to plan — not even close? In Week 3 of The Crown & The Cradle, Luke Anthony takes us into Matthew 1:18–25 and the extraordinary calling of Joseph… a man whose carefully laid plans were suddenly overturned by the breaking-in of God's Kingdom. Joseph had every reason to walk away. Confusion. Shock. Stigma. Uncertainty. But instead of clinging to his own story, he stepped into God's story — and everything changed. Luke shares with honesty, humour, and vulnerability (including parenting interruptions, haircut mishaps, and that stag-do moment!) as he unpacks three powerful truths from Joseph's life: 1️⃣ The Kingdom Interrupts Joseph had a plan — marriage, stability, a good reputation. Then came a pregnancy he couldn't explain and a future he didn't choose. God's Kingdom breaks in unexpectedly, inconveniently, and purposefully — often right in the middle of our “perfect plan.” 2️⃣ The Kingdom Requires Trust Joseph didn't get a spreadsheet, a roadmap, or a 10-year plan. Just: “Do not be afraid… this is from the Holy Spirit.” Luke shares honestly about trusting God through uncertainty — especially in the journey with his son Isaac — reminding us that God's promises hold even when life feels messy. 3️⃣ The Kingdom Redefines Life Joseph's obedience placed his small, ordinary life inside God's eternal story. The same is true for us. When we surrender our plan for God's plan, He reorders, repurposes, and redefines everything — not to shrink our lives, but to draw us into His Kingdom. This message will encourage you if you're navigating change, disappointment, or unexpected turns. Joseph shows us that when the Kingdom interrupts, trust becomes obedience, and obedience becomes transformation.

What if the life you're living isn't Plan B… but God's Plan A? In week two of our Advent & Christmas series The Crown & The Cradle, Anthony Delaney walks us through Mary's story in Luke 1 — the moment heaven interrupted an ordinary plan with an extraordinary invitation. Mary had her future mapped out: marriage, family, security, respect. Then an angel appeared with a call that would overturn all her expectations. From Mary's perspective, it looked like Plan B — scandal, uncertainty, risk. But from God's perspective? It was always Plan A. This message is for anyone who feels like life hasn't gone to plan… or that too many plans have fallen through. Christmas announces the truth that God repurposes lives, restores broken stories, and invites us into His plan — the one that leads to hope, purpose, and salvation through Jesus. Join us for worship, prayer, and this powerful teaching as we ask:

The King Comes to the Waiting | The Crown & The Cradle by Ivy Church Podcast

Following our Church Weekend Away where we explored the Ivy vision of Knowing - Growing - Going, Anthony explores our nexts steps through the Discipleship Pathway.

Expand the Church (Together) | VII Churches Series by Ivy Church Podcast

Once An Addict | Barry Woodward | Ivy Central by Ivy Church Podcast

Are we comfortable… or close to Jesus? In the final letter to the Seven Churches, Anthony Delaney unpacks Jesus' message to the church in Laodicea (Revelation 3:14–22) — a community that thought it had everything, yet made Jesus sick with its lukewarm faith. Laodicea's comfort had numbed its passion. They were rich in possessions but poor in spirit. Yet even in His rebuke, Jesus offers mercy: “Be earnest and repent. Here I am! I stand at the door and knock.” This powerful message calls us to break free from complacency and expand our intimacy with God — to open the door, reignite the fire, and rediscover wholehearted devotion to Jesus. Join us for worship, prayer, and this final call in our Revelation series as we ask:

What doors is God opening in your life? In week seven of our series VII Letters to the Church, Lisa Lee shares Jesus' message to the church in Philadelphia (Revelation 3:7–13). Though small and weak, this was the church that made Jesus smile. They held onto His Word, stayed faithful to His Name, and in return He promised them an open door that no one can shut. Jesus still opens doors today — doors of opportunity, calling, and mission. They can't be forced open, and they don't depend on our strength, but when He opens them, we are invited to step forward in faith. Join us for worship, prayer, and this inspiring message as we ask:

Are we living off reputation — or truly alive in Christ? In week six of our series VII Letters to the Church, Anthony Delaney unpacks Jesus' words to Sardis (Revelation 3:1–6). Outwardly, Sardis looked strong and vibrant. In reality, Jesus says, “You have a reputation of being alive, but you are dead.” This sobering message reminds us that what matters is not our reputation but our reality before Jesus. A church (or a life) can coast on past glory while the Spirit's fire grows cold. But Jesus offers a way back: Wake up. Strengthen what remains. Remember the gospel. Repent. Join us for worship, prayer, and this timely call as we ask:

How do we tell the difference between what just sounds Christian and what is actually true? In week five of our series VII Letters to the Church, Matt Donaldson unpacks Jesus' words to the church in Thyatira (Revelation 2:18–29). Outwardly thriving and fruitful, they were failing in one vital area — discernment. By tolerating false teaching, they were accepting what Jesus rejected. Jesus calls His church not to compromise but to cultivate discernment: to know His voice so clearly that anything counterfeit is exposed. He searches hearts and minds, warns against deception, but also promises authority and the morning star to those who remain faithful. Join us for worship, prayer, and this timely message as we ask:

What does it mean to live with integrity in a world full of pressure to compromise? In week four of our series VII Letters to the Church, Anthony Delaney explores Jesus' message to Pergamum (Revelation 2:12–17) — a city filled with idols, false teaching, and cultural pressure. Some believers held fast, but others were being pulled back into sin. Jesus calls us not to compromise but to live with integrity: whole, undivided, the same in private as in public. And He promises hidden manna, a white stone, and a new name to those who overcome. Join us for worship, prayer, and this challenging message as we ask:

What does it mean to follow Jesus when life gets hard? In week three of our series VII Letters to the Church, Anthony Delaney opens Jesus' words to the church in Smyrna (Revelation 2:8–11). They were persecuted, poor, and under pressure — yet Jesus calls them rich in faith and promises them the crown of life. Like Smyrna, the suffering church today shows us that true faith shines brightest when it is tested. Through pain and pressure, the fragrance of Christ is released. Join us for worship, prayer, and this challenging message as we ask: - How do we stay faithful when fear rises? - What can we learn from the persecuted church? - How do we live boldly for Jesus in our world today? Scripture: Revelation 2:8–11 Preacher: Anthony Delaney

Recorded live at Ivy Central on 28 September 2025, Rev Dr Ian Paul reveals how and why we should read the book of Revelation.

First Love is True Love | VII Churches Series by Ivy Church Podcast

Expand your Vision | VII Churches Series by Ivy Church Podcast

Recorded live at Ivy Church's 'All Together' Service on 7th September 2025. Special guest David Pierce from Steiger International talks about reaching 'Lost Sheep' in lost sheep places.

Shalom in the World: Healing | Summer of Wellbeing Series by Ivy Church Podcast

Shalom with Others | Summer of Wellbeing Series by Ivy Church Podcast

Shalom with God: Holiness | Summer of Wellbeing Series by Ivy Church Podcast

Expand your Victory - COURAGE | Expand Your Life Series by Ivy Church Podcast

Stand Out More Children of Light | Expand Your Life Series by Ivy Church Podcast

Expand Your Thinking - CHURCH | Expand Your Life Series by Ivy Church Podcast

Recorded live at Ivy Central on 22 June 2025, Anthony speaks from Ezekiel 47.

Expand Your Strength - CONCRETE | Expand Your Life Series by Ivy Church Podcast

Invisible Walls - CALLED | Expand Your Life Series by Ivy Church Podcast

Made For More - CHOSEN | Expand Your Life Series by Ivy Church Podcast

Overcoming Imposter Syndrome | Anthony Delaney | Ivy Central by Ivy Church Podcast

Fulfilling Our Purpose | ALIVE Series by Ivy Church Podcast

Jesus Brings Freedom | ALIVE Series by Ivy Church Podcast

Filled with peace | ALIVE Series by Ivy Church Podcast

Focus The Journey From Hopeless to Hopeful | ALIVE Series by Ivy Church Podcast

Mary Magdalene - The Love That Changes Everything | ALIVE Series by Ivy Church Podcast

I Have Good News To Share | Anthony Delaney | Ivy Central by Ivy Church Podcast

Looking Into The Empty Tomb | ALIVE Series by Ivy Church Podcast

Which KINGDOM Are You Building? | W.O.R.K. Series by Ivy Church Podcast

Reward - Who Are We Working For | W.O.R.K. Series by Ivy Church Podcast

How will you OCCUPY Your Time | W.O.R.K. Series by Ivy Church Podcast

James Aladiran, founder of Prayer Storm, exhorts us to pray, even when from our perspective nothing appears to be happening. He encourages us to see prayer from the spiritual dimension.

Work is Worship | W.O.R.K. Series by Ivy Church Podcast

Power and Protection | Prayer of Expansion Series by Ivy Church Podcast

A Prayer for a Life of Expanding IMPACT | Prayer of Expansion Series by Ivy Church Podcast