DREAM BIG | Amy Nicholson | 06 September 2026 Catch Up on: | YouTube | iTunes | Spotify What Is Your Next Yes? There are dreams that God places in our hearts that can take years to come to life. Sometimes they begin as a simple thought, a burden, a passion, or a picture of what could be. Sometimes they come when something breaks our heart, and we find ourselves thinking, “Someone should do something about this.” And sometimes, God’s answer is: “You can do something about this.” The question is: Will we say yes? Dreaming bigger than ourselves There’s a scene in the movie Up where an elderly man finally gets to go on the adventure he has dreamed about his whole life. It’s exciting, but there’s also something sad about it: why did he wait so long? The adventure doesn’t go according to his plan. Along the way, he discovers something important — life is better when it is lived alongside other people. That reminds us of something about the dreams God gives us: God-shaped dreams rarely exist just for us. God puts dreams in our hearts that are bigger than our own comfort, success, or ambition. They involve people. They bless others. They require faith. And often, they require us to do something we know we could never accomplish in our own strength. A God-sized dream requires a God-sized view of who God is. If our dreams are so small that they don’t need God, perhaps we need to enlarge our vision of Him. He is King. All authority in heaven and on earth belongs to Him. He is good, so we can trust Him with our future. Nothing is impossible for Him, which means we can step out in faith even when we don’t know exactly how everything will work out. Dreams begin as seeds God-shaped dreams often start small. They begin as seeds. A thought. A burden. A passion. A picture of what could be. A desire to see something change. Those seeds are already inside us, but they need to be watered, nurtured, and given room to grow. The Bible gives us a powerful picture of this in Galatians 6. Paul reminds us that what we plant is what we eventually harvest. The invitation is to sow kingdom seed - not for our own benefit, but for the benefit of others. If we sow kindness, generosity, friendship, and love, we can trust God to bring a harvest in His timing. But sometimes the hardest part is continuing to sow when we can't yet see the harvest. Paul says: “Don’t allow yourselves to become weary in planting good seeds.” In other words: Don’t give up. Keep going. Keep planting. You may not see the impact of your generosity today. You may not see what your kindness produces. You may not know what that conversation will mean to someone years from now. But that doesn't mean nothing is happening. We plant. We water. God brings the harvest. How do we know if it’s a God dream? Not every dream we have is necessarily from God. So how do we discern the difference? A God-shaped dream will usually be: Bigger than ourselves. It requires faith and dependence on God. A blessing to others. It isn't simply about what we can gain. It creates space for other people to flourish. Aligned with God's character. God is loving, kind, and merciful, so the dreams He gives us will reflect His nature. Consistent with Scripture. God will never call us towards something that contradicts His Word. When God gives us a dream, the response isn't always to have a ten-year plan. Sometimes the response is simply: Yes. One yes at a time Looking back, many of us can probably trace significant moments in our lives to a simple yes. Yes to following Jesus. Yes to joining a church. Yes to joining a Life Group. Yes to serving. Yes to stepping into leadership. Yes to starting something new. Yes to planting a church. One yes leads to another. You don't have to know everything before you say yes. You don't need to have all the answers. You don't need to feel completely ready. Faith often begins with taking the next step God has placed in front of you. Your yes can change the world Recently, we had the privilege of meeting an incredible couple who have spent decades following a God-given dream. Thirty years ago, they moved from Canada to Uganda to plant a church. But when they arrived, they encountered children who had been orphaned by war and young people who desperately needed help. They believed God was asking them to care for those children too. Their funding partners told them that wasn't what they had been sent to do. They were told to come home if they weren't going to stick to the original plan. But they stayed. They chose obedience. Over the decades that followed, those children grew up. Some became doctors, lawyers, teachers, builders, and parents. They began changing their communities and their nation. What started with a church plant became something much bigger - homes for children, communities, and a generation being raised to influence a nation. And when you meet this couple, they don't talk about what they accomplished. They simply say: “All glory to God.” That's what can happen when ordinary people say yes to a God-sized dream. You don't have to change the whole world today Maybe you're thinking, “I want to make a difference, but I can't do much.” You don't have to change the whole world at once. You can change the world one person at a time. One conversation at a time. One coffee at a time. One act of kindness at a time. One prayer at a time. One generous decision at a time. That's how kingdom impact happens. Don't focus only on what you have or what you don't have. Look at God. Enlarge your view of Him and allow Him to empower you to do what He's calling you to do. What is your next yes? Perhaps your next yes is to follow Jesus - maybe for the first time, or maybe it's time to return to Him. Perhaps it's a yes to growth: joining a church, finding a Life Group, doing a course, or surrounding yourself with people who help you see God more clearly. Perhaps it's a yes to healing and getting the help you need. Perhaps it's a yes to serving others. Perhaps it's a yes to generosity. Perhaps it's a yes to starting that business you've been thinking about - a business that creates opportunities and employment for others. Perhaps it's a yes to stepping into something that scares you. Whatever it is, don't wait until you feel completely ready. The invitation is simple: Say yes. Say yes when you're afraid. Say yes when you feel inadequate. Say yes when you don't have all the answers. Say yes to adventure. Say yes to faithfulness. Say yes to helping others. Say yes to sowing kingdom seed. Because our “no” can lead to a small and quiet life, but our “yes” can lead to kingdom impact. And ultimately, the safest place we can ever be is within the will of our Father. So don't wait. What is the dream God has placed in your heart? What is the kingdom seed He's asking you to plant? What is your next yes? Life Group Questions The message said, “A God-sized dream requires a God-sized view of who God is.” What do you think this means? In what areas of your life might your view of God be too small? Have you ever had a dream, burden, or idea that you wondered might be something God was putting on your heart? What happened? Are there any dreams or things you feel God has placed in you that you've been ignoring, delaying, or putting off? Why? What does “sowing kingdom seed” look like in everyday life? What are some of the “yeses” that have shaped your journey with Jesus? The message said, “One person at a time. One conversation at a time. One coffee at a time. One act of kindness at a time.” Who is one person God might be asking you to invest in right now?

What Are You Carrying? “Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.” — Galatians 6:2 We all carry things. Some of us bear the weight of past mistakes. Others deal with difficult relationships, grief, or disappointment. Some carry responsibilities from God. Others carry burdens they were never meant to bear. In Galatians 5:24–6:5, Paul paints a vivid picture of what it means to follow Jesus and be led by the Holy Spirit. Central to this message are three types of burdens we encounter. Live by the Spirit Paul reminds us: “Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.” What we live by shapes how we are led. If we follow our flesh, we will be led by its desires. But living by the Holy Spirit means we should expect to be guided by Him. This journey isn't about instant perfection. Following Jesus is a gradual process. Over time, the fruit of the Spirit should become more evident in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Paul offers a practical test of spiritual maturity. It isn't about how much we know or how long we've been believers. The real test is: How do we respond when someone else messes up? When Someone Falls Paul writes: “Brothers and sisters, if anyone is caught in a sin, you who live by the Spirit should restore that person gently.” Notice what Paul doesn't say. He doesn't tell us to judge harshly or to make their mistakes public. He simply says: restore them gently. This response is crucial. When someone around us falters, our flesh might react with pride or criticism. We might think, I can't believe they did that. I would never do something like that. Or perhaps we feel a sense of relief if someone we compare ourselves to stumbles. At least it’s not me. But Paul teaches that being Spirit-led means leaning towards restoration. God Is a God of Restoration Consider restoring an old piece of furniture or a classic car. Restoration takes time, patience, effort, and often money. You don’t restore something because it’s worthless; you restore it because you see its value. There may be beauty hidden beneath the dirt or damage. Restoration reveals that value. God sees people in this way. You might look at yourself and see failures, shame, or brokenness. You may feel unworthy of God's love. But God is a God of restoration. He sees your true value and is willing to invest time and grace into restoring you. Because God values people, we should too. This changes how we respond when someone falls. Instead of celebrating their failure, we come alongside them. Instead of adding shame, we offer grace. Instead of saying, “You should have known better,” we ask, “How can I help you through this?” Restoration can be costly and frustrating, but people are worth it. People have issues, but people are not issues. You have issues, but you are not an issue. Neither is the person next to you. Carry One Another's Burdens Paul continues: “Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.” The Greek word Paul uses here is baros, referring to the heavy things in life that weigh us down. This could be grief, difficult relationships, parenting struggles, or battles with temptation. Sometimes, life simply becomes heavy. Paul's instruction is clear: Don't carry it alone. The church is not a group of people pretending everything is fine. It’s a community where we can say: “I’m struggling.” “I need help.” “Things aren’t okay at home.” “I’m carrying something too heavy.” And it’s about responding: “Let me come alongside you.” “Let’s walk through this together.” “You don’t have to carry this by yourself.” This is how we fulfill the law of Christ: we love people by helping them carry what is heavy. There’s beauty in this. When we allow someone to help carry our burden, we free our hands to help carry someone else’s. But There's Something You Must Carry Then Paul introduces a seemingly contradictory statement: “For each one should carry their own load.” Wait a minute. Paul just told us to carry one another's burdens, and now he says to carry our own load. Which is it? The answer is: both. Paul uses a different Greek word here: phortion. A baros is a heavy burden, while a phortion is a load assigned to you. Jesus echoes this in Matthew 11 when He says: “Take my yoke upon you... For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” Jesus has given each of us specific things to carry: our responsibilities, calling, purpose, influence, relationships, decisions, and our walk with Him. These are things no one else can carry for us. Helping Can Sometimes Hurt This distinction is vital because we often try to carry burdens God hasn’t asked us to bear. When we see someone struggling, we might rush in to fix everything. But there’s a difference between carrying someone’s burden and carrying their responsibility. We should help others through life’s difficulties, but we don’t need to remove the consequences of their choices. Sometimes, helping can unintentionally disempower them by doing what God has called them to do themselves. So, we need wisdom. Carry the burdens. Don’t carry the responsibility. Support others, but don’t take ownership of what God has entrusted to them. And remember to carry your own load too. The Burden You Were Never Meant to Carry There’s one more type of burden to consider. In 1 Peter 5:7, we read: “Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.” This word refers to anxieties, cares, and concerns—the things that keep us awake at night. These are the questions we can’t control: Will everything work out? Will God come through? Am I enough? Does God really love me? What if something goes wrong? These burdens were never meant to be carried by us. We can take responsibility for what God has entrusted to us and help others with their burdens, but some things are beyond our control. Those belong in the hands of Jesus. Give God What You Cannot Carry Imagine trying to lug around an enormous weight everywhere you go. You might manage for a while, but eventually, it will exhaust you. You may become tired, frustrated, and overwhelmed. You might even feel angry with God, asking, “God, why are You making me carry this?” But what if He never asked you to carry it? What if you’ve been holding onto something meant to be surrendered? Many of us are exhausted because we try to carry tomorrow today. We hold onto fears, anxieties, and shame from our past. We bear expectations that God never placed on us. Perhaps Jesus is saying: “You were never meant to carry that.” Cast it on Him. He cares for you. Three Things to Remember So, what do we do with all of this? Carry your own load. Take responsibility for what God has entrusted to you—your calling, purpose, relationships, decisions, and walk with Jesus. Carry one another's burdens. Don’t isolate yourself. Be humble enough to ask for help and compassionate enough to support someone else when life gets heavy. Cast your anxieties on Jesus. There are things you cannot control and burdens you were never designed to carry. Give those to Jesus. You were designed to carry your God-given purpose. You were meant to take responsibility for what He has entrusted to you. You were created to walk alongside others when life becomes difficult. But you were never meant to carry the weight of tomorrow. So today, ask yourself: What am I carrying that God has asked me to carry? What burden do I need to allow someone else to help me carry? And what am I carrying that I need to surrender to Jesus? You don’t have to carry everything. Some things belong on your shoulders. Some belong in the hands of your community. And some belong at the feet of Jesus. You were never meant to carry it all. Life Group Questions When you hear the phrase “carrying a burden,” what comes to mind for you? How do pride, comparison, and envy affect the way we relate to other people? Why can vulnerability be difficult? What makes it hard to say, “I need help”? What is something God has entrusted to you that you need to take greater responsibility for? What is something you're currently worrying about that you need to surrender to Jesus? Why do you think we sometimes struggle to believe that God actually cares about the things that concern us? If you could leave one burden at the feet of Jesus tonight, what would it be?

Live Free | For Freedom | Gareth Nicholson | 23 August 2026 Catch Up on: | YouTube | iTunes | Spotify “It is for freedom that Christ has set us free.” — Galatians 5:1 What if following Jesus was never meant to be about trying harder to become good enough for God? Galatians 5 begins with a statement that goes to the heart of the gospel: Christ has already set us free. Freedom is not something we have to earn. It is something Jesus has already accomplished for us. That truth is foundational to who we are as Free Church. We want to help people follow Jesus, know their true identity, grow in freedom, and go and live with purpose. All four of these are reflected in Galatians 5:1. But there is an important distinction: freedom starts in a moment, but growing in freedom takes time. Freedom Is a Gift, Not a Reward One of the easiest traps to fall into as a Christian is believing that our relationship with God depends on how well we perform. We read our Bible, pray, attend church, join a Life Group and serve - and these are all good things. But when we miss a day, fail spiritually or don't live up to our own expectations, guilt can creep in. Suddenly, the things that were meant to help us grow become obligations we feel we have to fulfil. Paul warns the Galatians not to return to a “yoke of slavery.” Jesus has already set them free, so they don't need to add religious rules and traditions to what He has accomplished. The gospel is not Jesus plus our performance. It is Jesus plus nothing equals everything. Our spiritual practices aren't ways of earning God's approval. They are invitations to experience the freedom Jesus has already given us. Free to Serve Paul then gives us another picture of what freedom looks like: “Serve one another in love.” Christian freedom isn't the freedom to live completely for ourselves. It is freedom from ourselves so that we can love and serve others. We don't serve because we are trying to earn God's favour. We serve because we have already received His grace. Serving shifts our attention away from ourselves and towards others. It develops humility and becomes part of the process through which the Holy Spirit forms us to become more like Jesus. Jesus came to serve. If we want to become more like Jesus, serving others is part of the journey. That might happen through serving at church, but it doesn't have to. It can happen in your family, workplace, neighbourhood, or friendships. Look for someone you can serve. Do something that puts another person's needs ahead of your own. Freedom isn't simply about what we are free from. It's about what we are now free to do. Free to Be Led by the Spirit Galatians 5 also presents a choice: “Walk by the Spirit, and you will certainly not carry out the desire of the flesh.” There is a tension within all of us. We can follow the desires of the flesh, or we can learn to listen to and follow the Holy Spirit. This isn't about finding the perfect balance between doing good and doing bad. It's about spiritual formation. When we put our faith in Jesus, we are made alive in Him. We are forgiven, made righteous, and adopted as sons and daughters of God. That is our position in Christ. But while our position is settled, our condition is still being formed. We are free - and we are growing in freedom. Over time, as we partner with the Holy Spirit, we should begin to see more of the fruit of the Spirit appearing in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. This doesn't mean we will never have a bad day or never struggle again. It means that our trajectory is changing. We are becoming more like Jesus. Three Invitations That Help Us Grow So how do we practically grow in freedom? The message points us towards three important areas: community, serving, and the presence of God. 1. Community We become like the people we spend time with. God never intended us to follow Jesus alone. We need people around us who remind us of who we are, encourage us when we're struggling, and help us become who God has called us to be. Community can also become the place where healing happens. When we have been hurt by people, our instinct can be to withdraw and put up walls. But freedom grows when we allow ourselves to become vulnerable in safe, loving community. That's why Life Groups matter. We need spaces where we can move beyond the Sunday version of ourselves and ask honest questions: How are you really doing? What's happening in your marriage? What's happening in your parenting? What's really going on in your heart? Authenticity creates space for transformation. 2. Serving Paul tells us not to use our freedom to serve ourselves but to serve one another in love. Serving isn't an obligation. It's an invitation to become more like Jesus. When we serve, our focus moves away from ourselves. We learn humility, generosity, and compassion. We discover that we have something to contribute to the lives of others. You don't have to do something impressive. You can start small. Serve someone in your family. Help a friend. Encourage someone who is struggling. Volunteer in your local church. Find a place where you can use what God has given you for the benefit of someone else. You are free to serve. 3. The Presence of God Galatians 5 reminds us that life in the Spirit is essential to growing in freedom. The presence of God changes us. When the church gathers, we don't simply come to consume. We come to worship. We bring our voices, our faith, and our praise. We come ready to give something to God and to one another. Church isn't ultimately about whether the music was good, the message was helpful, or the coffee was great. It's about Jesus. When we gather together and lift our attention towards Him, we make space to encounter His presence and be transformed. The Freedom-Growing Furnace There is something significant about how these three things work together. Community. Serving. The presence of God. If we only have community, we can become a social club. If we only serve, we can simply become involved in a cause. If we only pursue the presence of God, we can become spiritually focused but disconnected from the people and mission around us. We need all three. When we live in community, serve others, and remain attentive to the presence of God, we create an environment where the Holy Spirit can shape us. This is how we grow in freedom. The beautiful thing is that we don't do any of this to earn our freedom. We do it because we are already free. Jesus has done what we could never do for ourselves. He has made us alive, forgiven us, restored our relationship with God, and given us a new identity. Now we get to learn how to live like free people. So the question isn't simply, “Am I free?” If you are in Christ, the answer is yes. The better question is: “Am I growing in freedom?” What is your next step? Maybe it's pressing back into community. Maybe it's allowing the Holy Spirit to bring healing into an area where you've been hurt. Maybe it's finding somewhere to serve. Maybe it's making more space for God's presence. Maybe it's taking the next step of faith, like baptism. Whatever your next step is, remember this: It isn't an obligation. It's an invitation. Christ has set you free. Now, let's learn to live free. Life Group Questions “It is for freedom that Christ has set us free.” What does being truly free in Christ mean to you personally? What are some religious habits or expectations that can unintentionally become obligations rather than invitations? How has serving others helped you become more like Jesus, or is there an area where you feel God might be inviting you to serve? Which fruit of the Spirit do you most want to see growing in your life right now? Why? The message said, “You are only as free as you are willing to be vulnerable.” What might God be inviting you to become more honest about? Of the three areas discussed - community, serving, and the presence of God - which one is strongest in your life right now? Which one needs attention?

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MISSIONS & OUTREACH We believe that following Jesus means living beyond ourselves. The Church isn't called to simply gather—it's called to go. That's why missions and outreach are at the heart of who we are at Free Church. One of the core pillars of our mission is to Go Live With Purpose . We want every person to discover that God has uniquely gifted them to make a difference in their community, their nation, and the world. Whether it's serving a neighbour, caring for the vulnerable, planting churches, or taking the Gospel across borders, every act of love points people to Jesus. Serve Days Throughout the year, we host Serve Days, where our church family comes together to meet practical needs and demonstrate God's love in our city. From community projects to supporting local organisations, Serve Days are an opportunity for everyone to roll up their sleeves and make a tangible difference. Check the Events page for the next Serve Day. Local Outreach Loving our city starts with meeting real needs. Through practical acts of generosity and compassion, we're committed to bringing hope to people in our community. Food Pantry Our Food Pantry provides food parcels to individuals and families facing difficult seasons. Through the generosity of our church, we're able to offer practical support, encouragement, and hope to those who need it most. Every donation and every volunteer helps make a difference in someone's life. Ditshego Our partnership with Ditshego allows us to support families and individuals through practical care, empowerment, and community development initiatives that bring hope where it's needed most. Basadi Ba Moshito Foundation We are proud to partner with the Basadi Ba Moshito Foundation, supporting their work of restoring dignity, creating opportunities, and bringing hope to women and communities through meaningful outreach and development. Zambia Mission Trips Teams from Free Church travel to Zambia to partner with the Zambia Project to preach the Gospel. These mission trips are an opportunity to share the love of Jesus through practical service, leadership development, children's ministry, evangelism, and encouragement. Whether you're travelling for the first time or have been on many mission trips, we believe God uses these experiences to transform both the communities we serve and the people who go. Church Planting Healthy churches change communities, and we believe every person should have access to a life-giving local church. That's why Free Church partners with ARC (Association of Related Churches) to help plant life-giving, Bible-centred churches around the world. Through prayer, generosity, leadership development, and practical support, we're investing in seeing more churches established so that more people can encounter the hope of Jesus. Live Beyond Yourself Following Jesus isn't just about what God wants to do in you—it's about what He wants to do through you. Whether you're serving at the Food Pantry, participating in a Serve Day, joining a mission trip to Zambia, partnering with one of our local outreach initiatives, or helping plant churches around the world, there's a place for you to make a difference. Together, let's Go Live With Purpose and bring the hope of Jesus to our community, our nation, and the nations.