Advertise on podcast: Riverside Church Sunday Message

Tim Chilvers speaks on John 11:1-44, as part of our Strange Things series.   What do you do when God doesn’t respond the way you hoped?  In John 11, a desperate request is met with silence… and by the time Jesus arrives, it feels too late. Expectations collapse, grief takes over, and the questions get louder.  But as the story unfolds, it becomes clear that this moment isn’t following any formula or timeline. And what happens next doesn’t just change the situation - it reshapes what we thought was possible… and who we thought Jesus was.  At Riverside we are on a journey together to help people get to know Jesus and grow as his followers across Birmingham and beyond. Whoever you are, whatever you believe, you're so welcome in this community. Find out more about Riverside Church & plan your visit: riverside-church.org.uk 

Judy Moore speaks on John 9:1-11, 35-38, as part of our Strange Things series.    “We have seen strange things today.” That’s how people described the works of Jesus - paradoxa: unexpected, unexplainable, beyond what should be.     In John 9, we see a miracle that breaks all the rules - no formula, no clear pattern, and a mix of joy and scepticism in response.  But here’s the question: what if those ‘strange’ things didn’t stop back then? Are those moments confined to the past…or could they still break into our lives today?    At Riverside we are on a journey together to help people get to know Jesus and grow as his followers across Birmingham and beyond. Whoever you are, whatever you believe, you're so welcome in this community. Find out more about Riverside Church & plan your visit: riverside-church.org.uk 

Saarh Auger speaks on Luke 24:1–12, John 20:19–20, and Matthew 28:5–10, 16–20.  Jesus has risen, just as he said he would. He is alive and reigns as King over all creation. Join with us to sing songs, recount the story of Jesus resurrection, and celebrate baptisms.   At Riverside we are on a journey together to help people get to know Jesus and grow as his followers across Birmingham and beyond. Whoever you are, whatever you believe, you're so welcome in this community. Find out more about Riverside Church & plan your visit: riverside-church.org.uk 

Tim Chilvers, Ado Muronzi, Rahel Jack and Mel Lynch speak on Romans 12:17-21. as part of our Connected Life series.    ‘Connection is the key to human thriving.' (Her Royal Highness The Princess of Wales and Professor Robert Waldinger, from a report about the dangers of hyper-connectivity called ‘The Power of Human Connection in a Distracted World’) We live in a society in which there is greater recognition about the dangers of hyper-connectivity. We’re always connected, but less and less content. Always on, but never at rest. Maybe the solution is to reassess who, or what, we are connected with? Join us for a for this four-week series re-evaluating some key 'connections' in our lives, based in Romans 12. Journey with us as we discover four key areas of connections that we commonly forget.    At Riverside we are on a journey together to help people get to know Jesus and grow as his followers across Birmingham and beyond. Whoever you are, whatever you believe, you're so welcome in this community. Find out more about Riverside Church & plan your visit: riverside-church.org.uk

Nathanael Ballew speaks on Romans 12:4-16. as part of our Life series.    ‘Connection is the key to human thriving.' (Her Royal Highness The Princess of Wales and Professor Robert Waldinger, from a report about the dangers of hyper-connectivity called ‘The Power of Human Connection in a Distracted World’) We live in a society in which there is greater recognition about the dangers of hyper-connectivity. We’re always connected, but less and less content. Always on, but never at rest. Maybe the solution is to reassess who, or what, we are connected with? Join us for a for this four-week series re-evaluating some key 'connections' in our lives, based in Romans 12. Journey with us as we discover four key areas of connections that we commonly forget.    At Riverside we are on a journey together to help people get to know Jesus and grow as his followers across Birmingham and beyond. Whoever you are, whatever you believe, you're so welcome in this community. Find out more about Riverside Church & plan your visit: riverside-church.org.uk

Tim Chilvers speaks on Romans 12:3. as part of our Life series.    How do you really see yourself? In the second talk of our Connected Life series, we explore Romans 12:3 and the challenge to think of ourselves with “sober judgment.” In a culture where we are so often dominated by pride or insecurity, this message shows how God’s grace frees us from both. When we begin to see ourselves through the lens of God’s mercy, it changes not only how we view ourselves, but how we live and relate to others. At Riverside we are on a journey together to help people get to know Jesus and grow as his followers across Birmingham and beyond. Whoever you are, whatever you believe, you're so welcome in this community. Find out more about Riverside Church & plan your visit: riverside-church.org.uk 

‘Connection is the key to human thriving.' (Her Royal Highness The Princess of Wales and Professor Robert Waldinger, from a report about the dangers of hyper-connectivity called ‘The Power of Human Connection in a Distracted World’) We live in a society in which there is greater recognition about the dangers of hyper-connectivity. We’re always connected, but less and less content. Always on, but never at rest. Maybe the solution is to reassess who, or what, we are connected with? Join us for a for this four-week series re-evaluating some key 'connections' in our lives, based in Romans 12. Journey with us as we discover four key areas of connections that we commonly forget.

Tim Chilvers speaks on Esther 7-8. as part of our Conspiracy series. The book of Esther ends with a victory feast - and a body count. The villain is impaled. God is never mentioned. An entire people group celebrates their survival. And you’re left wondering what to do with it all. Where is God in stories like this? What do you do when the “good guys” don’t look entirely good? And what happens when you realise the line between hero and villain might run through your own heart? Esther refuses to give easy answers. Instead, it invites you into something deeper — a posture of humility in a world obsessed with being right, and a stubborn, defiant hope when everything feels dark. At Riverside we are on a journey together to help people get to know Jesus and grow as his followers across Birmingham and beyond. Whoever you are, whatever you believe, you're so welcome in this community. Find out more about Riverside Church & plan your visit: riverside-church.org.uk

Nathanel Ballew speaks on Esther 7-8. as part of our Conspiracy series.Many of us love a conspiracy theory, but there is really one conspiracy FACT behind them all. Even when we can’t always see his hand at work, ‘In all things, God works silently, yet certainly’ - Susanna Wesley In an age obsessed with conspiracy theories and hidden agendas, we often find ourselves searching for what’s real—yearning for a truth that cuts through the noise. Join us for a five-week series where shadows loom large, motives are mixed, and danger is never far away. Yet woven through every twist is a deeper story: a truth that sets you free. Behind the schemes, the whispers, and the unseen threats, there is a hand at work. A hand guiding, aligning, and redeeming — even when it seems silent. The ancient biblical story of Esther reminds us that God is present in the gaps, active in the shadows, and faithful in the uncertainties. Across five weeks, Conspiracy uncovers the hidden workings of God in a world that feels out of control, revealing that the greatest truth is not the one shouted the loudest, but the one quietly shaping history. At Riverside we are on a journey together to help people get to know Jesus and grow as his followers across Birmingham and beyond. Whoever you are, whatever you believe, you're so welcome in this community. Find out more about Riverside Church & plan your visit: riverside-church.org.uk

Judy Moore speaks on Esther 3 - 6. as part of our Conspiracy series.In a story full of intrigue, pride, danger, and surprising reversals, we see how God works quietly behind the scenes—through prayer, patience, courage, and ordinary faithfulness. As Haman’s pride swells and Esther risks everything with the words “If I perish, I perish,” we’re invited to ask where God might be at work in our own lives when He feels hidden. What if you are exactly where you are for such a time as this?Join us for a five-week series where shadows loom large, motives are mixed, and danger is never far away. Yet woven through every twist is a deeper story: a truth that sets you free. Behind the schemes, the whispers, and the unseen threats, there is a hand at work. A hand guiding, aligning, and redeeming — even when it seems silent. The ancient biblical story of Esther reminds us that God is present in the gaps, active in the shadows, and faithful in the uncertainties. Across five weeks, Conspiracy uncovers the hidden workings of God in a world that feels out of control, revealing that the greatest truth is not the one shouted the loudest, but the one quietly At Riverside we are on a journey together to help people get to know Jesus and grow as his followers across Birmingham and beyond. Whoever you are, whatever you believe, you're so welcome in this community. Find out more about Riverside Church & plan your visit: riverside-church.org.uk

Sarah Auger speaks on Esther 1-2. as part of our Conspiracy series.A lavish party, a reckless king, a silenced queen, and a young woman quietly carried into a story far bigger than she realises, the book of Esther opens with chaos, power plays, and deeply human decisions. God’s name is never mentioned, yet His fingerprints are already all over the story, working through flawed people, broken systems, and moments that feel anything but holy. When life feels out of control and certainty is hard to find, this ancient story reminds us that God is still at work.Join us for a five-week series where shadows loom large, motives are mixed, and danger is never far away. Yet woven through every twist is a deeper story: a truth that sets you free. Behind the schemes, the whispers, and the unseen threats, there is a hand at work. A hand guiding, aligning, and redeeming — even when it seems silent. The ancient biblical story of Esther reminds us that God is present in the gaps, active in the shadows, and faithful in the uncertainties. Across five weeks, Conspiracy uncovers the hidden workings of God in a world that feels out of control, revealing that the greatest truth is not the one shouted the loudest, but the one quietly At Riverside we are on a journey together to help people get to know Jesus and grow as his followers across Birmingham and beyond. Whoever you are, whatever you believe, you're so welcome in this community. Find out more about Riverside Church & plan your visit: riverside-church.org.uk

Tim Chilvers speaks on 2 Timothy 1:6-7. as part of our Courage, dear heart series.A 3-week Vision series focussed on one key passage: 2 Timothy 1:6-10. We will introduce our key verse for the year: ‘For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline.’ (2 Timothy 1:7) ‘”Courage, dear heart," and the voice, she felt sure, was Aslan’s.’ (C.S. Lewis, the Voyage of the Dawn Treader)As we stand at the threshold of a new season, we’re invited not to shrink back, but to step forward with steady hearts and lifted heads. Courage, dear heart is a three-week journey of living with confidence and boldness in a time that calls for fearless faith. Instead of timidity, we choose to trust. Instead of hesitation, we choose to move. Instead of retreat, we choose to seize the opportunities placed before us in this pivotal moment of history. Take courage, dear heart. The moment is now.At Riverside we are on a journey together to help people get to know Jesus and grow as his followers across Birmingham and beyond. Whoever you are, whatever you believe, you're so welcome in this community. Find out more about Riverside Church & plan your visit: riverside-church.org.uk

Tim Chilvers speaks on 2 Timothy 1:7. as part of our Courage, dear heart series.A 3-week Vision series focussed on one key passage: 2 Timothy 1:6-10. We will introduce our key verse for the year: ‘For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline.’ (2 Timothy 1:7) ‘”Courage, dear heart," and the voice, she felt sure, was Aslan’s’ (C.S. Lewis, the Voyage of the Dawn Treader)As we stand at the threshold of a new season, we’re invited not to shrink back, but to step forward with steady hearts and lifted heads. Courage, dear heart is a three-week journey of living with confidence and boldness in a time that calls for fearless faith. Instead of timidity, we choose to trust. Instead of hesitation, we choose to move. Instead of retreat, we choose to seize the opportunities placed before us in this pivotal moment of history. Take courage, dear heart. The moment is now.At Riverside we are on a journey together to help people get to know Jesus and grow as his followers across Birmingham and beyond. Whoever you are, whatever you believe, you're so welcome in this community. Find out more about Riverside Church & plan your visit: riverside-church.org.uk

Tim Chilvers speaks on 2 Timothy 1:6-10. as part of our Courage, dear heart series.Ever had to take a step into the unknown, when you can’t see what lies ahead? As we enter a new year, we explore what it means to live with courage rather than fear. Drawing on Paul’s words to Timothy and the gentle call of God to “take heart,” we’ll discover how the Holy Spirit empowers us to face uncertain times with faith, hope, and boldness — not just to endure, but to advance.Find out more about Riverside Church & plan your visit: riverside-church.org.uk

We begin 2026 looking ahead, and exploring what it might look like to take steps forwards in our faith in Jesus in the year to come.Find out more about Riverside Church & plan your visit: riverside-church.org.uk