Senior Pastor, Southland Church
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.
Rob Norman: What Is The Gospel | Following Jesus
The Gospel Jesus preached included the call to “follow me”. This phrase is recorded as being used directly used by Jesus 20 times in the four Gospel accounts.
Rob Norman: What Is The Gospel | The Gospel According To Jesus
The message Jesus preached emphasized the present reality of the kingdom of God through His ministry. This includes the signs of the kingdom: healing, deliverance and the miraculous.
Rob Norman: What Is The Gospel | Introduction
Critics of Christianity and some theologians think that Jesus and Paul preached different gospels. This is where a seemingly simple question “What is the Gospel?” becomes a little more complex, thus requiring us to dig deeper. On the surface it appears that Jesus and Paul had slightly different emphases. Again, this is where we all have a responsibility to study Scripture and understand the big picture, not just our favourite doctrines, themes and verses.
Rob Norman: Faith – The Prayer Of Faith
• Formulas are hardwired recipes that always produce the same outcome if you carefully follow the instructions.
• Processes are flexible paths that respond to various external influences and contexts.
Rob Norman: Faith – Faith in The Waiting
When people are subject to a fear of not having enough they open an entry point for a spirit of poverty. This spirit knows no social or economic boundaries.
Rob Norman: Faith – Submission To God
It is a very sobering thought that God might actually oppose our prayers and practices. Prayers that flow out of ambition and worldly desires could well be on His list!
Rob Norman: Faith – A New Way
James, Chapter 3, makes two very powerful contrasts to highlight the differences between the old man and the new man. These contrasts are evidences that we are born again.
Rob Norman: Faith – Listening & Doing
Faith comes as a result of listening (hearing). As Christians we all need to work on the discipline of listening. Listening is important in hearing God but it is also important in relating to people.
Rob Norman: Trials, Temptations & Faith
One of the forgotten qualities of life, in general, that has risen from the latter half of the 20th century is perseverance. We have been conditioned to expect everything to be given to us instantly. Our lifestyles reflect this expectation
Rob Norman: Practical Faith
Biblical faith grows and thrives under all conditions because it comes from God not from man. Biblical faith is simple and yet robust, it doesn’t relay on certain outcomes, such as health, wealth or even acceptance by others.
Rob Norman: Intro To Modern & Contemporary Gnosticism
Modern day Gnostics tend to over spiritualize everything. Often they ignore the historical teachings of Scripture and wise counsel from mature Christians, instead claiming that God has “told” them to leave their church, divorce their spouse, break a family relationship, etc.
Rob Norman: The Resurrection
There are at least 12 different appearances of Christ in the resurrection accounts, beginning with Mary and ending with Paul. They were physical, tangible experiences with Christ eating, speaking and allowing himself to be touched by them. On one occasion he appeared to over 500 people.
Debbie and Rob Norman: The Power Of Your Story
News flash! We probably will not win the World to Christ using Power Evangelism as a model. We will collectively win many more thousands, if not, millions of people to Jesus if we all simply share our story with whomever will listen.
Rob Norman: Fragrant Offerings
When we embark on a faith walk with Jesus there is every chance we will face seasons of living in want! The contemporary “faith message” doesn’t always deal with this fact well, many “faith preachers” leave us with the impression that to be ‘in want’ is to be without faith. Yet, the Apostle Paul, here, is strongly suggesting that followers of Jesus should expect to have seasons in our lives where we live in plenty and seasons where we live in want! Neither of these conditions are indicators of faith they are simply symptoms of life.
Rob Norman: The Lord Is Near
The kingdom of heaven is full of ‘hidden treasures’ waiting to be found. They are not hidden so that we can’t have them, they are hidden so that we will seek them and find them. The process of seeking is vital in the life of a disciple.
Rob Norman: We’re In This Thing Together
Like mindedness doesn’t mean we have the same opinion on every matter of life. Our like mindedness is based on being ‘united in Christ’. The brilliance of the church is that God has brought together people with different gifts and ideas for a common cause and purpose.