Windsor Park Baptist Church

Welcome to Beyond The Message — a podcast where we unpack Sunday's message, share behind-the-scenes insights, extra resources, answer your questions, and explore how God is speaking to us as a church.This week, Pastor Aidan Wivell and Pastor Caleb Finlayson unpack Unconditional Discipleship, exploring what it really means to follow Jesus with courage, clarity, and resolve.They responded to questions from our church community about what wholehearted discipleship looks like in 2026 — and how we navigate following Christ without our “but firsts” in a world filled with expectations and responsibilities. You'll hear personal examples, behind the scenes of preparing this message, and more.If you've ever left church wanting just a little more — this is for you.

As we return to our King & Kingdom Come: The Gospel According To Luke series, we encounter a pivotal moment as Jesus “resolutely” sets His face toward Jerusalem, fully aware of the cost ahead. Through three powerful interactions, Jesus confronts conditional faith and calls His followers beyond “I will follow, but first…” into wholehearted surrender. Pastor Caleb Finlayson invites us to examine what may be holding us back and challenges us to follow Christ with the same unwavering resolve He demonstrated for us.

Welcome to Beyond The Message — a new podcast where we unpack Sunday's message, share behind-the-scenes insights, extra resources, answer your questions, and explore how God is speaking to us as a church.In our very first episode of Beyond The Message, we share the vision behind this new podcast and reflect on Part 1 of our King & Kingdom Come series, exploring what it means to live under the reign of King Jesus and how Luke's Gospel invites us into a bigger Kingdom story.If you've ever left church wanting just a little more — this is for you.  

In Part 2 of our 2026 vision series, Playing the Long Game, Pastor Grant Harris turns our focus to Legacy. He unpacks Hebrews 11, reminding us that faith is not just for the moment — it shapes what comes after us. Together, we'll explore how what we inherit and what we intentionally build can impact generations to come.As we reflect on faithful perseverance and long-term spiritual growth, we'll also share about the exciting launch of the Windsor Park Endowment Fund — a bold step toward resourcing mission and ministry for decades ahead. This is about more than today. It's about the future we're prayerfully preparing together.

In the first of our Vision Sunday messages, Pastor Grant Harris invites us to resist the pressure to rush and instead embrace God's patient, deep work in our lives. In a culture that often measures success by speed and visible results, Scripture reminds us that God is more concerned with who we are becoming than how quickly we grow. Drawing on the stories of Joseph and Peter, this message shows how God uses time, hidden faithfulness, failure, and grace to shape people who reflect Christ. As we approach our 75th anniversary, we are reminded of our vision: not just to grow a church, but to form a community marked by depth, character, and lasting faithfulness.

This week we wrap up our summer series, the Summer Slowdown, with three people from our church family — Ava, Anita and Jedi — sharing their Summer Stories. They'll reflect on what it's looked like to slow down and spend time with Jesus over the summer, reminding us that creating space for God matters in every season of life.

This week, Pastor Aidan Wivell continues our Summer Slowdown series with a message from John 15 titled Returning Well Rested. Together, we think about what it means to return well from our rest with Jesus as we explore His words in John 15, unpacking what it means to remain connected to Christ so our lives bear good fruit in the midst of a busy and anxious world, and are encouraged to return to our responsibilities carrying the peace, love, and presence of God with us. 

This week in our Summer Slowdown series, Pastor Heather Ameye-Bevers reflects on Psalm 139:1-6 & 23-24, exploring what happens when we pause and make space to truly encounter God. We discover God's intimate, searching love—a love that knows us fully, heals us, and guides us, not to condemn, but to restore. The message encourages practices of stillness, honesty, and reflection (including the Examen), helping us slow down, trust God more deeply, and live openly before Him.

This week in our Summer Slowdown series, Pastor Grant Harris explores Matthew 6:25-34 and considers how worry can keep us from the deeper rest God offers. Even when we physically step back, our hearts can remain exhausted—but Jesus calls us to seek His presence and trust Him to handle the rest, discovering true internal renewal.

This week, Pastor Aidan Wivell invites us into a “Summer Slowdown,” using the image of an overwhelming conveyor belt to reflect the pace of modern life and, through Jesus' words to Martha and Mary, calls us to intentionally choose rest, presence, and being with Jesus so that our doing for God flows from a deep, unhurried life with Him.

As we enter the final week of 2025, Pastor Caleb Finlayson is inviting us to pause and reflect on the year that's been, while also looking ahead with hope to the year to come. Together we'll explore where we've seen God at work, and where He might be inviting us to dream again. We'll unpack how throughout Scripture, God meets His people in unexpected ways — even through dreams — shaping the direction of their lives. As we consider where we may stand at the end of 2026, this moment reminds us that every journey of faith begins with a dream placed by God. What is the dream He is stirring in your heart?

This week, Pastor Grant Harris continues our Advent series, Those Who Dream, with a message titled: The Dream That Saved Christmas. Preaching out of Matthew 2:1–12, we revisit the Nativity story and explore the journey of the Magi—well known for following the star, but also guided by a shared dream. After encountering Jesus, they are warned in a dream to return home by another way, ultimately protecting the Christ child. As we draw closer to Christmas, this message invites us to consider what it might look like to give God permission to guide our lives—even through dreams.

This week Pastor Aidan Wivell and Caleb Finlayson bring us a podcast-style message as we continue our Advent series, Those Who Dream, with a sermon titled Living The Dream.We're sitting down with one of Scripture's great dreamers — Joseph, son of Jacob. Through a narrative interview, Joseph recounts his journey from favoured son to slave, prisoner, and eventually a leader in Egypt. Along the way he reflects on how God used seasons of hardship to shape his character, grow humility, and teach him to trust God's presence in every moment.His story reminds us that God-shaped dreams rarely unfold quickly or easily; they're formed through waiting, surrender, and everyday faithfulness.

This week we're starting our Advent series, Those Who Dream, with Pastor Holly Walton bringing us a message out of Mark 13:32-37 titled: Keep Awake.In this first message of our Advent series, we're reminded that Advent invites us to live awake to God's presence, just as the dreamers of Scripture did. Holly challenges us to resist spiritual drowsiness and instead notice God at work in ourselves, in others, and in the world around us. As we stay awake to both the beauty and the brokenness of our world, God plants hope-dreams within us—dreams of peace, justice, and restored creation.This Advent, we're invited to wake up in order to dream with God and join in His redemptive work. 

This week, Pastor Grant Harris concludes Part One of our King & Kingdom Come series. Together we'll explore how in Luke 9:1-51, Jesus calls His disciples — and us — to move beyond simply admiring Him to truly following Him. We'll unpack what it looks like to trust Jesus enough to step out, surrender, and actively participate in His mission. It's a gentle, yet challenging invitation to take the next faithful step in our journey with Him.

Do you ever wonder what it truly looks like when heaven touches earth? In Luke 8, we see Jesus calming storms, healing lives, and bringing hope to the hopeless. In this message, Kevin McFetridge from Tearfund unpacks what it means to join Jesus in His mission today—reaching people, restoring communities, and letting compassion speak. Be inspired as we continue our King & Kingdom Come series, to step into God's work here and now, and let His light shine through you.

This week, Pastor Grant Harris continues our King & Kingdom Come series with a message titled The Upside-Down Kingdom, from Luke 7. In this chapter, we encounter four stories that reveal a kingdom unlike any other — where Jesus is amazed by unexpected faith, restores the broken, meets doubt with grace, and inspires love through forgiveness. Together, these moments paint a picture of a kingdom that turns everything upside down, offering transformation for every life — even those that don't fit neatly into our frames.

This week Pastor Caleb Finlayson continues our King & Kingdom Come series, preaching out of Luke 6:17-49 with a message titled: Come, Hear, Do. Caleb will explore how Jesus' Sermon on the Plain turns the world upside down, calling us not just to believe, but to act—to come close, hear His voice, and live differently. Like the wise builder who digs deep and builds on solid rock, true disciples let their faith shape everything they do. Are we willing to come, hear, and do?

Pastor Grant Harris continues our King & Kingdom Come series, speaking from Luke 5:1 – 6:11 on Jesus: The Disruptive Innovator. In these six powerful stories, Grant looks at how Jesus overturns society's norms to reveal a kingdom that transforms lives and challenges the status quo. His disruptive actions angered the religious leaders, yet they carry deep spiritual significance for us today. Following Jesus often disrupts our comfort and conventions—what disruption might He be calling you to step into?

This week in our King and Kingdom Come series, Pastor Heather Ameye-Bevers explores Luke 4:14–44, where Jesus proclaims that God's kingdom has come — a kingdom marked by freedom, healing, and restoration for all. Empowered by the Holy Spirit, we're invited to join Him in bringing this kingdom to earth through love, service, and acts of justice.

We're so excited to celebrate the beauty of our diverse community this week with our Intercultural Service! Pastor Margaret Loh will be sharing a powerful message from Ephesians 4:1–6, exploring our cross-cultural calling to be One in Christ, unpacking the difference between simply being diverse and truly living as an intercultural community. 

This Sunday, we're honoured to welcome Naomi Cowan, CEO of Equip Mental Health Services, and Matt Strong, GM, for our annual Equip Sunday services.As we wrap up Mental Health Awareness Week, we'll explore what it truly means to love one another deeply—and how genuine, supportive connection isn't just good for the soul, but essential to our health and healing. Drawing from powerful stories, Scripture, and decades of mental health insight, Naomi and Matt share about how God calls us into relationships that restore, uplift, and make a lasting difference.Together, let's lean into the theme of “Topping Up Together”, be inspired by stories of transformation, and reflect on how loving deeply can change lives—starting with our own.

This week Pastor Grant Harris continues our King and Kingdom Come: The Gospel According to Luke series with a message titled Jesus: Prepared & Proven. We'll explore Jesus stepping into His public ministry — prepared through John's bold preaching, affirmed in baptism, rooted in whakapapa, and proven through testing in the wilderness; looking at how His genealogy connects Him to all of humanity, entering into our broken family lines to offer us something radically new: a restored identity as children of God. Jesus' whakapapa becomes ours — and that changes everything.

This week, Pastor Aidan Wivell explores Luke 2 as part of our King & Kingdom Come: The Gospel According to Luke series, diving into the story of Simeon—a Spirit-led man who had been waiting his whole life for God's promise. Holding the child Jesus in his arms, Simeon rejoices in the hope revealed not just for Israel, but for all nations. He also proclaims the great reversal Jesus' Kingdom will bring—a reality that will reveal the true condition of every heart.

This week Pastor Grant Harris launches our new series King & Kingdom Come: The Gospel According To Luke, with the message small parts. BIG STORY. speaking out of Luke 1:1–4. Grant will explore how Luke opens his Gospel with what feels like a preview of God's unfolding plan. Through the stories of Zechariah, Elizabeth, Mary, and John, we'll see how God weaves ordinary lives into extraordinary purposes, keeping His promises in ways that change the world. As we begin this journey through Luke, Grant will remind us that the gospel is not a story to simply observe—but one we're invited to step into, trusting God's word and living as participants in His kingdom. 

This week Pastor Grant Harris will bring us a one-off message on being Witnesses to the World, speaking out of Acts 1:8. Jesus calls us to be his witnesses—sharing the good things He has done in our lives, both as individuals and as a church family. We'll also explore Windsor's long-term partnership with Joyya, one of our Beyond the Walls projects, and consider how God might still be inviting us into challenging and sacrificial ways of living out that call. 

This Father's Day message by Dr Paul Jones contrasts absent earthly fathers with our ever-present heavenly Father, who promises, “I am with you.” Through Jesus, God bridges the gap between heaven and earth, coming down to dwell with us and even within us by His Spirit.

This week Pastor Grant Harris brings a one-off message titled Freed | Restored | Sent from Luke 8:26–39. Together we'll explore the reality of spiritual battles and humanity's struggle with evil, and see how Jesus freed the demon-possessed man, restored his identity and community, and sent him out as a witness to God's power. The challenge for us today is to live out that same pattern—allowing Jesus to free us, restore us, and send us to share our testimony of His work in our lives.

This week Pastor Grant Harris wraps up our Prophetic Words: Ancient Voices, Modern Hope series with the prophet Malachi, and a message titled: Decisions, Decisions, Decisions!Grant will explore how every day we make countless decisions—some small, some life-shaping. In the closing words of the minor prophets, Malachi calls God's people out of apathy and back into wholehearted devotion. Spiritual growth doesn't happen in the big, dramatic moments alone; it's formed in the daily choices that draw us closer to Jesus or pull us away. God is after our hearts, and when we give Him our “yes,” everything else flows from that choice. Together we'll unpack how the small decisions we make can carry eternal weight.

This week Guest Preacher John Tucker will unpack how Jesus shows us that the way up is, in fact, down—revealing the secret to a meaningful life through Mark 10:45: “The Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” Discover how true greatness in Jesus' kingdom comes from serving others, embracing sacrifice, and putting others first.

This week Pastor Aidan Wivell continues our Prophetic Voices: Ancient Words, Modern Hope series with a message titled “Zephaniah: I See Fire.”Zephaniah paints a striking picture of God's righteous fire—one that doesn't leave anything untouched. For the proud, it brings resistance and ruin. But for the humble, it leads to repentance and refining. The difference lies in the posture of our hearts.As Zephaniah 3:12 reminds us: “But I will leave within you the meek and the humble, who trust in the name of the Lord.”In a world still marked by pride and self-reliance, this ancient voice invites us to choose trust, humility, and the kind of transformation only God's fire can bring.

This week Mikayla Reid continues our Prophetic Words: Ancient Voices, Modern Hope series with a message on Habakkuh titled: Holding Tight In The Wrestle. Mikayla will explore what it looks like to trust God in the tension—when faith is stretched and doubt creeps in. Through the honest wrestle of the prophet Habakkuk, we'll discover that even in seasons of uncertainty, our faith can grow deeper, stronger, and more rooted in who God is.

As we continue our Prophetic Words: Ancient Voices, Modern Hope series, Pastor Grant Harris brings the voice of the prophet Joel into our world today with a creative, first-person message titled: Wake Up, Aotearoa!Rooted in Joel 2:28, this message begins with crisis—a locust invasion symbolising seasons of loss and disruption—but it doesn't end there. Joel's call is clear: Return to God with all your heart. True repentance isn't about spectacle—it's about a transformed heart. And at the heart of it all is hope. The Day of the Lord is near, and God promises restoration for everyone—young and old, men and women, farmers and students alike.Listen and be stirred, challenged, and encouraged as we're reminded: God is still speaking, still moving, and He's not finished with Aotearoa. Or with you.

As we continue our Prophetic Words: Ancient Voices, Modern Hope series, this week we're exploring one of the most powerful calls in Scripture. We're delighted to have Junie, Miko, and Nicholas from our Mairangi Bay Campus unpacking Micah 6:8, diving into what it truly means to act justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with your God. Come be challenged and encouraged to live with purpose, compassion, and humility in the everyday moments of life. 

This week Pastor Aidan Wivell continues our series Prophetic Words: Ancient Voices, Modern Hope with a powerful message from Hosea titled Shocking Love.Hosea paints a confronting picture of Israel's unfaithfulness—yet even more staggering is the relentless love of God, full of mercy and compassion. Hosea didn't just speak this message—he lived it.Are we still shocked by the gospel? Would anyone be shocked by the way we love?Together, let's reflect on the radical grace of God through the eyes of the prophet Hosea.

This week we're diving into the bold and confronting words of the prophet Amos — a humble shepherd called to speak truth to a spiritually shallow, complacent, and unjust society. Through rich historical context and striking parallels to our world today, this message by Pastor Grant Harris will challenge us to take an honest look at our worship, our wealth, and our heart for justice. It's a timely call to live with greater integrity.

This week, we're excited to kick off our brand new series: Prophetic Words: Ancient Voices, Modern Hope — starting with a message from Pastor Grant Harris titled: A Prophetic Homecoming, speaking out of Micah 6:8. The prophetic books of the Bible may be small in size, but they carry weighty, powerful messages that still speak into our world today. In this series, we'll journey through the voices of prophets like Amos, Hosea, Micah, Joel, and others—men who spoke into moments of deep injustice, spiritual drift, and national crisis. Sounds familiar, doesn't it? These ancient voices don't just call us to religion—they call us back to relationship. They challenge our comfort, stir our convictions, and invite us not just to listen, but to live differently. God hasn't gone silent. The prophets remind us: He's still speaking. The question is—are we listening?

This week we're marking Matariki with a special message from Pastor Aidan Wivell, sharing on Sacred Signs—preaching from Genesis 1:14–19. Aidan will explore how Matariki is Aotearoa's only public holiday based on the rhythms of nature—looking at how Scripture tells us that God created the stars to mark times and seasons. We'll pause to reflect, realign, and open our eyes again in wonder at the beauty of creation… and the Creator behind it all.

We all long to be truly known and deeply loved—but that kind of connection requires risk. This week, Mikayla Reid wraps up our Risk & Reward series by unpacking the story of the woman in Mark 5, who dared to step forward in her shame and found healing through vulnerability. In a culture that often rewards hiding, Jesus invites us into something far better: honest connection with God and one another. 

Pastor Grant Harris brings us a message unpacking how failure is part of the human experience, looking at how the Bible acknowledges our mistakes. Unpacking Daniel 3:16-18, he will explore that while we must live with consequences, obedience to the Spirit shows us that what the world calls failure isn't always God's view—sometimes it's better to have tried and failed than never to have tried at all. 

This Sunday, Pastor Aidan Wivell brings us a one-off message titled This Is Love, preaching out of 1 John 4:7–21. Aidan will explore how we're all searching for love—but what is love, really? A feeling? A spark? A choice? In this passage, the Bible gives us a clear and powerful answer: God is love. Love isn't just something God does—it's who He is. And He shows that love by sending Jesus as our Saviour. We'll unpack together how living as a Christian starts with receiving God's love, responding to Him—and letting that love shape the way we love others.

Generosity can feel like one of the riskiest spiritual practices—especially when biblical generosity asks more of us than we expect, and the rewards aren't always immediate or visible. In Risking Generosity, Pastor Grant Harris unpacks 1 Kings 17:7–16, showing how true generosity isn't just about giving—it's about trusting God and stepping into the redemptive work of Christ in the world. And really, who wouldn't want to be part of that? 

We're jumping back into our Risk & Reward series as Pastor Caleb Finlayson unpacks what it means to Risk Discomfort. Preaching from Jonah 1:1–3, Caleb invites us to reflect on how we, like Jonah, often resist God's call when it leads us out of our comfort zone. But what if discomfort is exactly where God is calling us to grow? With a powerful personal testimony and three practical challenges—reflection, practicing discomfort, and detachment—this message challenges us to trust God fully, even when it's costly. 

This week we're marking Mother's Day with something a little different. We're excited to welcome special guest Tash Kestle—Worship Director at Upper Room Church and a talented singer-songwriter—as she leads us through a meaningful time of music and story.Tash will be sharing original songs, the heart behind them, and reflections on faith, creativity, and the beauty of motherhood. It's a chance to pause, reflect, and celebrate the incredible women—mothers and mother figures—who have shaped our lives.Note: As this is a unique style of service, there's no full sermon notes transcript available, but we've attached Tash's notes, song lyrics, and some reflective questions and resources for you to engage with in your own time.We've also included links via the buttons above to the Inner Rooms Spotify, YouTube, Instagram and Facebook, if you'd like to follow Tash and the Inner Rooms journey and listen to more of their music.

As we kick off our new series Risk & Reward, Pastor Aidan Wivell brings us a message titled: Risk Reputation, taking us to Acts 4:7–20, where we see Peter's transformation from denying Jesus to boldly proclaiming Him before authorities. This powerful passage invites us to face our fear of what others might think and take the risk of sharing our faith—trusting that the reward is far greater than our reputation. 

 In this one-off message, Prepared for Battle, Pastor Grant Harris unpacks Ephesians 6:10–18 and the reality of the spiritual battle we face. The New Testament doesn't shy away from the influence of the devil—also known as Satan, the tempter, the accuser, the evil one—but it reminds us that we don't fight for victory, we fight from victory. Through the armour of God, we are equipped to stand firm and claim the victory Jesus has already won. 

This week Pastor Grant Harris is wrapping up our Alive & Renewed series with a message titled: The Empty Tomb, The Full Life, reflecting on John 20:1–18. We'll explore Mary Magdalene's powerful encounter with the risen Jesus, looking at how it takes her from deep sorrow to joyful mission. Her story invites us to hear Jesus call our name, experience resurrection hope, and share it with the world. In this message we'll unpack how the resurrection changes everything—personally, powerfully, and purposefully. 

 As part of our Alive and Renewed series, this Palm Sunday message from Pastor Holly Walton explores how Jesus' suffering shows us a God who meets us in our pain. Whether you're navigating loss, grief, or doubt, this message is a reminder that the cross brings hope, healing, and purpose—no matter the season. 

This week Pastor Heather Ameye-Bevers is jumping back into our Alive & Renewed series, exploring how we can embrace the mindset of Christ in a world focused on status and self-promotion. How do we let go of pride, surrender control, and genuinely serve others?

This week we're excited to welcome Sarah Clark, Manager of the Windsor Park LifeCare Trust, as she shares a powerful message on how we can be a Light On A Hill and a beacon of hope in the darkness. Through inspiring stories from the  LifeCare Trusts ministries, we'll see how God is working through practical care and compassion, and discover the many ways we can support this vital work. Don't miss this uplifting and encouraging message!

This week we continue our Alive & Renewed: Living the Gospel Today series, with Pastor Grant Harris leading us through a message on Restoring Peace, preaching out of Ephesians 2:11-22. In this powerful message, we'll explore how Jesus' work on the cross breaks down the walls of division, reconciling us to God and offering us a peace that transcends all understanding. Through His sacrifice, we receive the kind of Godly peace that transforms our lives, bringing healing and unity to our relationships and hearts. Join us as we discover how this peace can restore our lives and our world.