As the time approached for him to be taken up to heaven, Jesus resolutely set out for Jerusalem. Luke 9:51

As we move out of the holidays, and into 2023 proper, we want to build on our theme of Welcome as we work through Luke's gospel and follow Jesus on The Great Roadtrip.

The next ten chapters of Luke's gospel document the events of Jesus' journey to Jerusalem. These chapters are filled with momentous events and revolutionary teaching as Jesus and his followers make their way to the city.

Throughout this account, Luke continues to be concerned with showing how Jesus and the gospel impacted ordinary people, and how Jesus continues to both fulfill what was prophesied about the coming messiah, while also continuing to confound expectations and be very different to what people expect to find.

Read more...

Luke the Physician was likely an outsider and a second-generation follower of Jesus. 
It appears from his writings he was deeply interested in people, and how the story of Jesus was relevant to everyone. Regardless of ethnicity, gender, socio-economic or class status, Luke’s gospel is a collection of stories of Jesus interactions with people. It is clear from this gospel that Jesus seeks to include everyone, even when it meant challenging the established social and power structures and those who benefit from the status quo.

As we explore this gospel, we will find he writes of a Saviour who embodies the value of ‘welcome’ that is Hobart Baptist’s theme for 2023. We will also find it a valuable roadmap for how we can navigate following Jesus in Hobart in the twenty-first century.

Every year, for a number of years, we’ve had a series reflecting on Hobart Baptist Church and our values, mission and vision. Normally this is at the beginning of the year as we arrive back from the summer break. However, this year, we’ve decided to place our vision just before we enter the busyness of Christmas and the relaxation of the summer break. Hopefully, placing it here will enable us to be focused and ready to go as the year gets into full swing when school begins. 

Our title Welcome comes out of our desire to be a place where those without a faith and those looking for a place to express faith, but feel unwelcome in other church settings, can feel welcome. 

Welcome has two specific audiences. To those in the church it is an aspiration and call to the church we aim to be, and to those outside the church it is a declaration ‘you are welcome here’.

Read more

WHAT ON EARTH AM I HERE FOR?

In this series we will look at four aspects of the lifestyle Jesus calls us to live and how we can change our lives for the better by following the calling God has spoken into our lives, whether that be at work, school, home, retired, unwell or on holidays.

Read more here>>>

CHANGING YOUR LIFE FOR THE BETTER

Jesus-followers are called to a Living Hope – hope that is alive and a hope that is lived.

This is a profound challenge, living when we live in a world that seems to be full of doom and gloom on a daily basis. What’s more, Jesus-followers in the West, including Hobart, have found themselves on the end of much criticism and hostility over the past few decades.

How can we live hopefully, amid such an avalanche of bad news and hostility?

READ MORE >