Taupo Baptist Church

How do we deny self

Luke 9:23-26 (ESV)Take Up Your Cross and Follow Jesus23 And he said to all, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. 24 For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it. 25 For what does it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses or forfeits himself? 26 For whoever is ashamed of me and of my words, of him will the S...

A new thing

Isaiah 43:16 -21This is what the Lord says— He who made a way through the sea, a path through the mighty waters, who drew out the chariots and horses, the army and reinforcements together, and they lay there, never to rise again,  extinguished, snuffed out like a wick: “Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wastela...

You Don't Have To Worry

Isn’t it ironic that the higher the standard of living in a society, the higher the incidence of worry, anxiety, and neurosis. Eccl. 5:12. Why is this?

Community and Mission

Community and Mission

Curses for Disobedience

John 10:10 makes it clear that there are forces of both good and evil in this world. Why are some cultural groups and nationalities more aware of the realities of these things than others?

Transforming community

Spiritual transformation is the process by which Christ is formed in us, for the glory of God, for the abundance of our own lives and for the sake of others; it results in an increasing capacity to discern and do the will of God.

He is coming

Luke 12:35-48

Guard Your Heart

God's word is truth, His word is powerful

The time is now

The Lordship test:Is Jesus Lord of your life? Do you want to love serve and obey Him?The fellowship test:Do you love your christian brothers and sisters and enjoy being with them and want to help them?The relationship test:Are you in a relationship with Christ where you speak to Him and He speaks to you? Where He leads you and guides you and you feel safe and secure?

Yahweh

Who am I to .....?"Yahweh, Yahweh, the compassionate and gracious God ..."

Invitation to the banquet

In the parable, a man planned a large banquet and sent out invitations. When the banquet was ready, he sent his servant to contact each of the invited guests, telling them that all was ready and the meal was about to start

Hope

Hope in Jesus Christ.

Coming Home

God totally loves each one of you, and even now He's inviting each one of you to come home.

Christmas Sunday.

This Christmas season the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ has become so commercial.

Joy

JOY = FEELING A deep contentedness and delight that is not derived from earthly circumstances but from the reality of a living relationship with the person of Jesus.

Believer's Baptism

Baptists” feel that Baptism is an area of doctrine they have got right. Yet they do not follow the pattern of scripture where people got baptised the day that they became a Christian. We often make people wait until they have proved they are genuine. (See Paul – Acts 9, Philippian jailer Acts 16, Ethiopian Acts 8). Why is this?

Walking in Love & Forgiveness

"Revival" means reviving dead areas in our lives. Bringing to the light, areas in our lives where sin is lying low or unobserved and bringing it to the cleansing blood of Jesus. Is this a major need of the church today?

Overcoming Affluence.

The wealth and false sense of self-sufficiency in this church had resulted in them being apathetic – lacking in passion and enthusiasm. Why is it that when our lives are going well, when our kids are healthy, our bills are paid, our marriage is strong, our church is at peace... that we tend to pray less, and worship becomes more superficial? 

Holy Spirit

In scripture, different images and metaphors are used to describe the Holy Spirit and His role in our lives i.e. wind, fire, guide, helper, comforter etc. What image do you most connect with in this season of life, when you think about Holy Spirit, and why?

Baptism of Fire

Distraction

Luke 10:38-42 New International Version (NIV)At the Home of Martha and Mary38 As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. 39 She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what he said. 40 But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work...

Rivers of Living Water

In John 7:38,39 We read: Whoever believes in me the Scripture has said, ‘rivers of living water will flow from within him’ By this he meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were later to receive. Have you experienced these rivers of living water? What change has it made in tour life?

Blessed are the Persecuted

Blessed are the Persecuted: Matthew 5:11-12Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. ‘Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me.' Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way, they persecuted the prophets who were before you.Jesus makes it clear that if we live according to the beatitudes, persecution is to be expected. Suffering...

Faith and Obedience

Matt 13:58 tells us that Jesus didn’t do many mighty works in Nazareth His home town because of the unbelief. Why would people in his home town be sceptical of his ministry?

An Unhurried Life

Today... it is difficult not just to think about God or to pray, but simply to have any interior depth whatsoever...

Blessed are the Peacemakers

There are three main types of people- Peace-breakers, Peace-fakers and Peace-makers.

Blessed are the Pure in Heart

Matthew 5:8: “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.” The word pure is used to describe metals that have been refined by fire until they are free from impurities. It also means to be single minded in our devotion to God. How do you measure up on each of these purity scales?

Blessed are the Merciful

Blessed are the merciful for they shall receive mercy.” The word merciful means to show compassion, pity; forgiveness; kindnessMercy is active - it's not just feeling compassionate, it's doing something compassionate.

Church as a Movement

Missional Community.Church as a MovementOUT..'sent' people (not of the world)IN.. 'local' people (in the world)

Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for justice

"God blesses those who hunger and thirst for justice, for they will be satisfied."Matthew 5:6

Blessed are those who hunger

There's a progression within the beatitudes. The first three are to do with our inner thoughts emotions and character. Would you say that you are humble, compassionate and meek (yielded fully to God?) Which of these character traits do you struggle with the most?

Church as an Intergenerational Community

Church is to be like a family (sharing, praying, living in the way of Jesus together)

Blessed are they that mourn

"Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted”There is a progression in these beatitudes. The first step of a blessed life is the recognition that we are poor in spirit...that we have a deep need for God's help in our lives. The second step, is to the place where we can find comfort in our time of need.

Blessed are the Poor in Spirit

Matthew 5:3 Blessed (happy) are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. How would you define the word happy? What makes you happy?When people are poor in spirit, they are ready to listen to God. They are willing to give up on “their own will” and trust God’s will for their lives. Would you define yourself as being happy in this sense?

Living the Beatitudes

Some consider the 'beatitudes' to be the most profound words every stated by anyone at any time. Do you agree? What are some other Scripture passages that could lay claim to this title?

In Spirit & In Truth

There are no easy formulas for worship: we cannot put God in a box– the Spirit blows where He wills. We must be careful not to become so set in our ways that we organise the Holy Spirit out of the service. Discuss how this can happen.

The Attitude of Worship

Chuck Swindoll says, "Words can never adequately convey the incredible impact of our attitude toward life. The longer I live the more convinced I become that life is 10% what happens to us and 90% how we respond to it."Do you agree?

Church as a family

What might it look like for our church to be a family?

Accepting the New and the Different

Describe a situation that you once completely misread or misinterpreted.After Joseph and his wider family of 75 moved to Egypt, little more is said about the them. During 400 years of slavery the family grew to over 2 million, until it was time for Moses to help set them free. Why do you think they didn't move back to Canaan after the 7 years of famine?

The Pardon Test

When we will not forgive, “we will live to prove something rather than to please someone.” Describe a time (in general) when you have observed someone change the course of their life by refusing to release another person. How did this statement prove to be true? 

Week 3

God is call us all to be missionaries, wherever you are. You don't need to go overseas

The Purpose test

Have you ever been on a mission trip or visited an overseas mission compound? 

“Where God Leads.” Mana E arahi.

Introduce the theme of Self Denial “Where God Leads.” Mana E arahi. Introduce this year’s receptacle.

Easter camp 2019

Testimonies from the youth who attended Easter Camp 2019.

Easter Sunday 2019

Jesus is the only founder of a major religion, who claimed to be God. Many other religious leaders such as Buddha, claimed to know a lot about God and to point the way to God.

Palm Sunday

God is like Jesus

Jesus Christ is perfect theology.

Prosperity Tests

We’re all created in the image of an all-powerful God, so a desire for power and authority can be a good thing... God looks for humble servants through whom He can channel his mighty power. We’re blessed so that we can be a blessing to others

The Prophetic Test

The Prophetic Test – Dream to Destiny (Robert Morris)1. The prophetic test is described in Psalm 105:17-19 But he sent a man ahead of them, Joseph, who had been sold as a slave. His feet were kept in chains, and an iron collar was around his neck, until the time that his word came to pass, the word of the LORD tested him’. The NLT puts it like this: 'Until the time came to fulfil his dreams, the Lord tested Joseph’s character'. Do you know people who have failed in ministry, because their cha...

The Prison Test

Joseph had lies told about him, was falsely accused and thrown into prison! Obedience to God is no guarantee that bad things will not happen to us.