In the ‘Parable of Shrewd Manager’ Jesus comments on the belief that morality or being law abiding is the end result of being a Christian. Jesus seems to be saying that the end result of following Him is living a life of generosity that produces the fruits of the Spirit. Certainly morality is tied up in the way Jesus calls us to live, but if we stop at living morally we may have missed the point. Jesus calls us to something far richer and far, far more beautiful than simply raising a moral standard.

The things we do demonstrate how we feel about God. Or, to get right at the heart of the matter: what we do with our money reveals what we believe about God. What money is to us shows what God is to us. Jesus cares more than anything about what your heart is pursuing. That is why he said, “A man's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions”. It consists in his relationship to God. “This is eternal life – true life” Jesus said, “that they might know you the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.” What we do with our money shows where we believe life – and joy and love and hope and security and meaning and freedom – is found.

Jesus taught more about wealth than he did any other social issue - more than marriage, politics, work, sex, or power. He considered money hazardous and helpful. And he taught us how to minimise the hazard, and maximise the helpfulness. In Matthew 6.19-24, Jesus takes on the danger of money and the relationship between how we spend our money and what we believe about the Kingdom. What does our heart’s treasure say about our loyalty to God’s Kingdom?

The topic of money and giving is one of the most difficult things the Bible addresses, yet the Bible speaks clearly and abundantly on it. This series explores what the Bible has to say about how we as Christians are called to steward and use our finances for our joy, for God's glory, and for the expansion of His kingdom on this earth.

This week we will be looking at the greatest complete story in the bible. It reads like a movie. There are plot twists along with villains and heroes. In the middle of it we see normal people caught up in the great plans of God. We see a God who is never mentioned but works behind the scenes without the use of incredible miracles or prophetic words. We see the faith of an orphan girl with no aspirations, move the wheels of history. Connect with the life of Esther and find how we can choose to connect with the plans of God that He has for each one of us.

When is success actually failure? When is plenty not enough?

Israel has been in exile for 70 years but the time of judgement is over and the people begin to return and rebuild. They start well...but soon need a little bit of reminding from the prophet Haggai. This message also comes to those of us today who have good intentions, but miss the big picture.

Lets examine a vision of what a life without regret can look like. Lets encourage one another to pursue this with our whole hearts!

Imagine you are a young man who has seen his beloved city invaded, his king humiliated and his whole life stripped away as he is taken captive. He arrives in an impossibly grand city in the middle of a vast empire. It is a center of learning and culture and new gods which seem to grant their worshippers unlimited power and happiness.

How does a young man keep his way? What does faith look like? Can it look that way in our lives today?

We will be looking at Daniel, a young man who saw the world as it was and it changed his life.

This week we are delighted to welcome John Snelgrove back to The Bridge Church. John will be looking at Chapter 17 of The Story - The Kingdom's Fall.