Gospel-centred and biblically-focussed preaching grounded in reformed theology. Open House Christian Reformed Church is a vibrant church on the Gold Coast, Australia seeking to reach the world for Christ through expository preaching that seeks to maximise the truth of Scripture.
Open House Christian Reformed Church
Jonah 1 contrasts a disobedient prophet who mouths religious words with pagan sailors who tremble genuinely before God. Jonah's downward spiral reveals that fleeing God only leads further from life, while the sailors' desperate prayers and merciful actions display what true reverence looks like. Only Jesus, the greater prophet, walked perfectly in the fear of the Lord, delighting to do His Father's will even through the agony of the cross. His life and death produce in believers the holy awe and joyful obedience that no amount of religious posturing can manufacture. Bible Reference: Jonah 1:1–16 Preacher: Ben Fien
God told Hosea to marry an unfaithful woman so that his heartbreak would mirror God's own pain over Israel's spiritual adultery. Gomer's descent into slavery vividly pictures where sin leads when people abandon the lover of their souls. Yet God charges Hosea to buy her back at great personal cost, foreshadowing how Christ redeemed His people not with silver and gold but with His precious blood. This breathtaking love transforms those who were 'not my people' into the beloved bride of Christ, as countless as the sand on the seashore. Bible Reference: Hosea 3 Preacher: John Westendorp
Preacher: Ben Fien Bible References: Mark 1:40-42, Hebrews 4:14-16, Hebrews 5:7-10 Jesus' compassion for those who suffer did not fade when He ascended to heaven. As our great high priest, He is united to His people and shares in their pain. More than that, His obedient suffering on the cross secured a future where every tear will be wiped away and death will be no more. Trusting Him means gaining both a faithful friend in present trials and an unshakeable promise of complete restoration.
Preacher: Ben Fien Bible References: Hosea 11:1-9, John 6:37-40 God's heart recoils at the thought of giving up His sinful people, even when their rebellion is at its worst. Hosea 11 reveals a God whose holiness fuels compassion rather than cold fury, and John 6:37-40 shows that Jesus will never cast out anyone who comes to Him in faith. His saving love is entirely by grace from beginning to end, rooted in the Father's will and the Son's perfect obedience. Believers can stop doubting God's commitment because His faithfulness has never depended on their moral performance.
Preacher: Ben Fien Bible Reference: Matthew 11:29 Jesus tells us exactly what lies at the core of who He is: He is gentle and lowly in heart. This means He is considerate of our weaknesses, drawn to our neediness, and never harsh with those who come to Him in repentance. By trusting Him and submitting to His loving authority, we find the true rest our souls are searching for.
Preacher: Jim De Witte Bible Reference: Acts 20:17-38 Paul's farewell to the Ephesian elders reveals what faithful pastoral ministry looks like. Gospel ministers are called to lead by example, love the flock deeply, proclaim the whole counsel of God, and depend entirely on the Holy Spirit. The church is precious because Christ purchased it with His own blood, and faithful shepherds will one day receive an unfading crown of glory.
Preacher: Ben Fien Bible Reference: Exodus 2:11-25 Exodus 2 shows Moses rejected by his own people yet welcomed by foreigners, revealing that sin infects everyone and none of us deserve God's rescue. The passage climaxes with God hearing, seeing, and knowing the suffering of His people. This knowing becomes deeply personal in Jesus, who cried out under the weight of our pain at the cross. Because He carried it all, we can trust that God truly hears and cares when we suffer.
Preacher: Tony Van Drimmelen Bible Reference: Luke 2:41-52 Luke 2:52 reveals that Jesus grew slowly and relationally within family and faith community. This pattern shows us that spiritual growth happens across generations, not apart from them. Children need spiritual grandparents, teenagers need tested models of faith, and adults need honest questions from the young. The church thrives when wisdom is shared, questions are welcomed, and every stage of life is treasured.
Preacher: John Westendorp Bible Reference: Acts 24:1-27 Felix and Drusilla heard Paul preach about righteousness, self-control, and coming judgment, and Felix was visibly shaken. Yet he kept putting off his response, hoping for a more convenient time that never came. This passage challenges us to examine whether we are truly responding to God's word or merely interested in religion on our own terms. When our hearts are stirred by the gospel, we must not defer the decision that determines our eternity.
Speaker Tony Van Drimmelen through Matthew 1:18-25
Speaker Jacob Greatbatch through Micah 5:1-5a, Matthew 2:1-6
Speaker John Westendorp through Acts 19:1-10
Speaker John Westendorp through Acts 13:13-52
Speaker Tony Van Drimmelen through Psalm 71
Speaker John Westendorp through Acts 11:19-30
Speaker Bill Berends through Acts 27:10-44
Speaker Jed Saville through 1 Thessalonians 1:1-10
Speaker John Westendorp through Acts 4:18-20
Speaker Ben Fien through Psalm 23
Speaker Tony Van Drimmelen through Habakkuk 3:1-19
Speaker Jed Saville through Genesis 11:27-12:3
Speaker Bill Berends through 1 Peter 2:13-3:7, Ephesians 5:21-6:9
Speaker Gerhard Oberholzer through Acts 2:1-41
Speaker Gerhard Oberholzer through Job 1:1-12, 2:11-13
Speaker Bill Berends through Matthew 21:43
Speaker Gerhard Oberholzer through Luke 10:38-42
Speaker Jacob Greatbatch through Romans 6:1-14
Speaker Gerhard Oberholzer through Luke 24:1-12, 36-53
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