Redeemer Central

What happens when the gospel calls us to step past our safety zones and engage with the people we've deemed completely "beyond the pale"? In Part 3 of our series, John Herron explores one of the most seismic shifts in the early church: the radical inclusion of the Samaritans in Acts 8. For centuries, a deep-seated gulf of bitterness, ancestry, and religion had divided Jews and Samaritans, making Samaria a boundary line no self-respecting Judean would ever cross. By tracing the trajectory through Luke’s Gospel, John breaks down how Jesus spent His ministry intentionally preparing the soil to shatter these old prejudices. John challenges us to look past our own "holy huddles" and ask a transformative question for our lives and our city today: Who is our Samaria, and what happens when we realize the Spirit is already out there waiting for us?

How does a movement that starts in a tiny, hidden corner of the world explode into a global reality? In Part 2 of our Before & After series, Adrian McCartney uses the vivid imagery of a 70-meter-long tapestry to trace the expansion of the early church from the Gospel of Luke into the Book of Acts. Moving from the narrow, traditional borders of Jerusalem, Adrian maps out a beautiful trajectory of a God who is constantly widening the circle. By looking at the parallel threads of the Feeding of the 5,000 (Luke 9) and the first church conflict over food distribution (Acts 6), we see the heart of Jesus on display: a ministry where everyone gets filled, where control is shared, and where leadership is handed over to the community. Adrian challenges us to recognize that we are the living end of this tapestry—called not just to debate who Jesus is, but to show the world what He is like through our shared life, hospitality, and radical inclusivity right here in Belfast.

On this Pentecost Sunday, Adrian McCartney kicks off our new 5-week series, Before & After, exploring the missional trajectory found in the writings of Luke. Drawing on Luke’s unique perspective as an "outsider" (the only non-Jewish New Testament writer), Adrian explores how the Holy Spirit didn't just empower individuals, but birthed a brand new kind of community. By comparing the baptism of Jesus in the Gospel of Luke with the arrival of the Spirit in the Book of Acts, we see a mirror image of power, prayer, and purpose. Adrian challenges us to move beyond seeing faith as a "blueprint" to copy, and instead to see it as a "trajectory" to follow—allowing the warmth, generosity, and grace of God to "ooze out" into the streets of Belfast today.

Advent: Love Lifts All Places - Jason Miller (Guest) Many of us yearn for sacred spaces, believing true purpose lies elsewhere—in a grander city or a different life. But what if the divine arrives not where we expect, but in the ordinary, even out-of-the-way places we inhabit? In this Advent message, Jason reflects on his deeply personal connection to South Bend, Indiana, and how a fresh reading of the Christmas story in Luke’s Gospel challenges our assumptions about sacred geography, quietly elevating Bethlehem—an unexpected and unimpressive town—into a place of profound divine significance. Through this lens, we are invited to see how God’s presence has the power to transform any place, and any circumstance, into sacred ground when met with love. As Christ enters the world, our everyday “Bethlehems” are lifted up, becoming spaces of meaning, hope, and the tangible presence of God. Chapters/Timestamps: [00:52] Notice: Christmas Compassion Appeal 2025 [03:20] Introduction to Jason Miller and South Bend City Church [06:53] Sermon - Jason Miller About Jason Miller Jason serves as a pastor at South Bend City Church (IN, USA), a sister church and kindred community to us at Redeemer Central. SBCC are described as 'community of grace & peace for our city and the world', a Jesus-centred community not afraid to wrestle with the tensions of ancient faith in a modern world. He is also the author of When The World Breaks: The Surprising Hope and Subversive Promises in the Teachings of Jesus. Give & Support Redeemer Central is a diverse and vibrant church in the heart of Belfast, practicing the way of Jesus through simple, intentional, and inclusive community, and seeking the peace and common good of our city. ~ You can support our ongoing work by giving financially at redeemercentral.com/give. Your generosity is greatly appreciated ~

In this concluding part, David and Stephanie reflect on the series and why we decided to do it in the first place. With a deep conviction that our spiritual lives are defined by experience, not just belief, they discuss the human need for a relationship with the divine as a hunger to be filled rather than mere information. This honest conversation covers varied church experiences, the pain of religious trauma, and the pursuit of a ‘second naivety’—a rediscovery of our first love for God, where intimacy and trust become the bedrock of faith.

Stephanie Wilson continues The Familiar Stranger series with a powerful message that speaks to the reality of suffering in the human experience. She reminds us that suffering isn’t evidence of God’s absence but the very place where God meets us—the Holy Spirit groaning with us, comforting us in our pain, and bringing new life through our struggles. This healing presence leads to profound redemption, where scars become means of grace, wounds expand our capacity for love, and our hope in Jesus assures us that suffering is never the final word in our story. This recording also includes a Remembrance Sunday Prayer, some notices on upcoming gatherings plus a special honouring of Ian & Libby Ryans as they step down from 8 years of leading our Farmbox ministry. Chapters/Timestamps: [00:30] Worship & Prayer [01:41] Remembrance Sunday Prayer [03:51] Honouring Ian & Libby Ryans (Farmbox) [09:20] Notice: Dinners [10:22] Notice: Carols by Candlelight [10:57] Notice: Dinners (updated) [12:34] Sermon *** Give & Support Redeemer Central is a diverse and vibrant church in the heart of Belfast, practicing the way of Jesus through simple, intentional, and inclusive community, and seeking the peace and common good of our city. ~ You can support our ongoing work by giving financially at redeemercentral.com/give. Your generosity is greatly appreciated ~

Anton Deik — a Palestinian Christian and scholar — shares his family’s story and invites us to see the human, ethical, and theological realities of life in Israel-Palestine. He challenges us to reckon with the injustices endured by the Palestinian people and to reflect on what faith, justice, and peace look like in the name of Christ. Anton Deik is Associate Director of the Bethlehem Institute for Peace and Justice and Assistant Professor of Biblical Studies at Bethlehem Bible College. Originally from Bethlehem, he has served in ministry and education across East Asia, England, Palestine, and Bolivia. Anton is married to Sara Améstegui (from Bolivia) and together they are parents to Nour Sofia. His background includes serving as Director of Online Education at Bethlehem Bible College, working with Operation Mobilization onboard MV Logos Hope, and leading research projects in computer science with Birzeit University and the Palestinian government. About: Story Sunday creates space for sharing stories and exploring the intersection of faith and spirituality with lived experience. Links: Bethlehem Institute for Peace & Justice - https://www.bipj.info Across the Divide Podcast - https://www.peacecatalyst.org/across-the-divide-podcast Telos Group - https://www.telosgroup.org

The Familiar Stranger: Part 5 — Dove Many associate the Holy Spirit with fire, wind, or powerful displays, but what if the truest image is quieter. Stephanie Wilson invites us to rediscover the Spirit not as a force to wield, but as a gentle presence that rests. Tracing the image of the dove through scripture—from Genesis to Jesus’ baptism—we uncover a Spirit that brings order out of chaos, offers new life, and affirms our identity as beloved children of God. It is a call to move from striving to resting, from performance to peace and an invitation to allow the Spirit to hover over our chaos, whispering, “Let there be light,” and reminding us of our royal identity in the Father’s house. *** Give & Support Redeemer Central is a diverse and vibrant church in the heart of Belfast, practicing the way of Jesus through simple, intentional, and inclusive community, and seeking the peace and common good of our city. You can support our ongoing work by giving financially at redeemercentral.com/give. Your generosity is greatly appreciated. ~ Redeemer Central is a registered charity in Northern Ireland: NI100831 · Company No. NI623785

The Familiar Stranger: Part 4 — Water The Bible’s story of the Spirit often comes with the image of water—rivers flowing into deserts, living streams making the Dead Sea fresh. David Armstrong unpacks the invitation Jesus gives when he brings holy disruption to the Feast of Tabernacles: “If anyone is thirsty, come to me and drink.” The Spirit not only quenches our thirst but makes us springs of living water for the world. Where the river flows, everything will live.