Senior Pastor, Southland Church
Debbie and Rob Norman: Raising Children in the 21st Century
Most cultures have “rites of passage” – traditions passed down through generations that mark major transition points in the lives of children and young people.
Rites of passage are important in providing healthy transitions for children from infancy to childhood, from childhood to adolescence and from adolescence to adulthood.
Rob Norman: Intimacy In Prayer
Prayer is meant to be an intimate encounter between you and God himself.
True intimacy is based on trust. In a relationship where there is implicit trust those involved can disclose the closest secrets of their heart.
Rob Norman: Holiness – From Follower To Friend
Many have associated holiness with moral purity or living above the moral benchmarks set by the World. But Biblical holiness is found in intimate relationship with God. Intimacy with God changes us; we can’t stay the same when our relationship with Jesus is upgraded from follower to friend.
Rob Norman: Hearing God
Intimacy with God ultimately brings us to a situation where we hear Him; not just His instructions, the do’s and don’ts, but His heart for our lives, often in a detailed and personal way. This is a level of revelation that most Christians don’t experience; mostly because we are not prepared to press into an intimate encounter with God.
Rob Norman: Worshipping God
A true worshipper is someone who has surrendered their life to Jesus and chosen to live before him transparently and faithfully. This is a consecrated life; a life that is dedicated and set apart to God and His purposes.
Rob Norman: Loved By God
Many Christians don’t know the love of the Father from first-hand experience. We may have some intellectual understanding of The Father’s Love and we may have even experienced His presence at different times, but it is still possible we don’t walk in the reality of The Father’s love.
Rob Norman: The Presence Of God
God is omni-present (He is never absent), but are times when the presence of God becomes tangible; God’s presence is “manifested”. i.e., God, who is Spirit, breaks into our limited, physical realm.
Rob Norman: Knowing God
Can we, as mortal human beings, know a God who is infinite, eternal, unchangeable and invisible (Spirit)? The good news is, Bible says, loud and clear we can
Rob Norman: Intimacy With God
As we get intimate with God we should expect to be overwhelmed by his uncloaked presence; whether that means a full-on Theophany, Christophany or that our our eyes and heart are opened to the unseen world isn’t so important, what is important is that God reveals Himself to us.
Rob Norman: God The Provider
We don’t general see God’s provision when we’re on level ground. It is when we come to a mountain in our lives where all our resources, motives and energy are tested that we look for God’s provision.
Rob Norman: Who Is This Christ Child?
This same God who is the Creator of all things, who holds the world together and who is sovereign over all things entered the world with all the vulnerability of a boy-child.
Rob Norman: Commitment | A Commitment To Growth
Growth is not an accidental or passive by-product of our existence; growth is a by-product of our most earnest pursuits
Rob Norman: Commitment | A Culture Of Commitment
In order to usher in a new culture, the old culture must be mercilessly destroyed. Can this also apply to church cultures?
Rob Norman: Commitment | A Fulfilled Life
Real fulfillment can only be found in Christ. Yet, discipleship caries a cost that we measure by questions like “what will it cost me if I do this?”. We may not say that ‘out-loud’, but subconsciously we ‘do the maths’ in terms of time, money and energy. What we don’t often consider is that non-discipleship also carries a cost that can be measured by answering the question “what will it cost if I don’t do this?”
Rob Norman: Commitment | Courageous Commitment
As society turns away from God the lives of true Christians stand in greater contrast to the lives of others. We will encounter greater battles and greater persecution. The Christian life will require greater courage.
Rob Norman: Commitment | Commit Big!
We are wired by our creator to gravitate towards causes that are bigger than ourselves. This is what gives our lives ultimate meaning
Rob Norman: Commitment | The Cost Of Commitment
The parables of the ‘hidden treasure’ and ‘the pearl of great price’ in Matthew 13:44-46 are about God’s absolute commitment to His people. When we understand the magnitude of God’s love for us it becomes natural that when Jesus said “follow me” to his disciples the invitation meant following him all the way into ministry!
Rob Norman: Commitment | Three Myths About Commitment
The word “commitment” dials up all sorts of anxieties in us. As soon as we hear someone asking us to commit our minds automatically begin looking for an ‘out’, an excuse that precludes us from committing “too heavily”. Commitment, however, is at the very heart of following Jesus.
Rob Norman: Commitment | Christ, His Church, His Cause
Is it possible to be a good Christian and not be fully committed to Christ, His Church and His Cause? Hint: NO!
Rob Norman: What Is The Gospel | Kingdom Power
Most people would agree that if there is a God He would be all powerful and able to reveal himself to us in ways that transcends human understanding.
Rob Norman: What Is The Gospel | Redemptive Community
Incarnational ministry seeks to dispense with ministry “from a distance” and embrace ministry “up close and personal”. If we are to be Jesus to the world then it is imperative we know the person and works of Jesus.
Rob Norman: What Is The Gospel | Justice Fulfilled
The Old Testament provides us with a view of Justice that stands apart from all other writings of antiquity. Its pages reveal account after account of consequential justice being executed against a back-sliding Israel because of her breaches against God’s just Law.
Rob Norman: What Is The Gospel | Enlistment To The Kingdom
The Gospel is far more than an insurance policy in the event of death or even sickness. The Gospel Jesus and Paul preached was a Gospel that called people to enlist in Kingdom service.
Rob Norman: What Is The Gospel | Sin – No Small Matter
When we talk about sin people get their noes out of joint because we equate ‘sin’ with being a particularly bad person. The truth is, since the fall, in the garden of Eden, only one person in history has been sinless.
Rob Norman: What Is The Gospel | information to Transformation
Most people in the world have a view of Christianity that is information and built around rules that exclude them. The good news is that Jesus has invited everyone to the table.