This week Ps Steu thanks Pastors Andy & Gina for the amazing foundation they created in Family Church, reflecting on last week which was a celebration of Ps Andy's & Ps Gina's ministry as they move towards their international soul saving calling.

Ps Steu's keystone verse is 2 Corinthians 5:17 (NIV) "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!" There is a past work that has occurred in our lives, that in this present day causes us to stand before God as the new creations. That past work is the moment our faith was placed in Jesus Christ. An incredible Exchange of the Cross happened in our lives.

The theme of this message is very much that with God all things can be made new. There is nothing that God cannot make new. Our lives have been redeemed, fully. We have been brought back through Jesus to God, but God is now in the process of restoring that which was brought back to him. Often, even when we were straight, we walked away from God. We all have to come to the point where we come to our senses and accept Jesus, returning to God.

Ps Steu continues by recounting the story of Jairus daughter, after Jesus healed the woman who touched the hem of His garment. He speaks about the crowd that needs to be got out of the way on order for us to unblock the way to Jesus. Some of us need to clear a path, get rid of the crowd, the distraction, the opinions, the the stuff that is just blocking us getting to what Jesus wants to do in our lives.

Let us have the faith to move away from the 'crowds' in our lives so we can focus on Jesus to know Him, obey Him, love Him. It's time to have faith in God in order He can do a new thing in the impossible situations in our lives.

In his last Sunday morning message to the Portsmouth congregation of Family Church, Ps Andy speaks about one of his original messages when he began the church nearly 30 years ago.

Through the blood of Jesus we have Redemption - we are redeemed, and at the cross, the Divine Exchange took place where the sins of us all were taken by Jesus, the only sin free man ever.

Andy illustrates this with a personal story about a model boat which was stolen then rescued from a charity shop.....it had to be bought back, at a price, indicating its value. This mirrors God's love for us and the sacrifice of Jesus.

Listen with intent at this wonderful inspiring message!

Today was a momentous occasion in Family Church....Ps Andy & Gina Elmes passed the Family Church Baton of Leadership to Ps Steu & Carla Payne. The following words were written by Ps Andy & Gina...

There are moments in life when you realise you are standing on holy ground - not because something is ending, but because something has been faithfully completed.

After 28 years of founding, leading, pastoring, and building this church and ministry, the time has come for us to step aside and step forward. To release what has been entrusted to us, and to trust God for what He has entrusted to others.

Ecclesiastes reminds us, “To everything there is a season, and a time for every purpose under heaven.” Seasons change, not because something has failed, but because God is faithful to finish what He starts - and bold enough to begin something new. When we first said 'yes' to God all those years ago, we had little more than obedience, faith, and a burning conviction that Jesus deserved a church alive with His presence and His power. We dreamed of a people who would love God deeply, love one another fiercely, and reach the lost relentlessly. What God has done since then has exceeded anything we could have planned or imagined.

We have seen lives transformed, families restored, leaders raised, nations touched, and Jesus glorified. This house has been built on prayer, faith, generosity, and an unwavering commitment to the Gospel. It has been the honour of our lives to carry that responsibility. And while this chapter closes, let me say this clearly: our voice is not stopping - it is simply shifting. The message God has placed in us, the convictions we carry, and the call to equip, awaken, and send will continue. It will simply be expressed in new spaces, new contexts, and new assignments. For those who still want that voice in their lives, it will be there - faithful to the same Jesus, shaped by the same fire.

This church was never built to rest on one person - it was built to run on mission and vision. Paul wrote, “I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God gave the increase.” I may have planted, others have watered, but it has always been God who makes things grow. And He is not finished - not even close.

To those now stepping into leadership: you carry this house with heaven’s backing. God trusts you. We trust you. Lead with courage. Guard the culture. Keep Jesus at the centre. Stay hungry for His presence and bold in your faith. The best chapters are not behind you - they are ahead. To every member, volunteer, giver, intercessor, and faithful servant: thank you. Thank you for believing, for standing, for serving, for loving, and for never giving up. You are the living stones of this house, and the future is strong because you are strong.

As for us, we now step into the next adventure with the same heart that started this one - faith-filled, surrendered, and expectant. Abraham went out not knowing where he was going, but knowing who was leading him. That is enough.

This is not goodbye as in separation - it is goodbye as in sending. And sending is always filled with hope.

“He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.” God has been faithful. He is faithful. And He will be faithful still.

Thank you for the journey. Thank you for the trust. Thank you for the love.

The story continues...

Andy & Gina

This week, Ps Sean's message is about the 'Edge of the Unknown'. Matthew 5:6 (NIV) says "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled". We are all made to be satisfied, but often we 'fill up' from the wrong tank of satisfaction! God is the true source of satisfaction. Many scriptures speak of this, Psalm 90:14 (NIV) says "Satisfy us in the morning with your unfailing love, that we may sing for joy and be glad all our days". Psalm 107:9 (NIV) says "..for he satisfies the thirsty and fills the hungry with good things".

We need filling up with God on a daily basis, otherwise we shall break down like a car without fuel. We need filling up with God, but God's satisfaction is not giving some settlement of comfort staying safe within familiar walls. God's infilling is designed to take us to the edge of the unknown and it's often an uncomfortable step.

Ps Sean is telling us we need to live comfortably uncomfortable lives . He then takes some situations from the Scriptures to illustrate how God uses us when we are 'on the edge of our comfort zone'. When the Lord meets Gideon, nothing is the same thereafter - going to win a battle with only trumpets and lanterns is pretty amazing! In the story of David & Goliath, the army was learning how to fight physically, how to come up with the latest strategies. David was learning to fight lions and bears by faith in God, it took him over the edge of the unknown.

We cannot allow ourselves to always understand in the natural, we have to trust God by faith and watch Him come through. The fruit of that spiritual satisfaction creates bonus, freedom, and faith. When we are filled with His Spirit, we shall have boldness walking in freedom, audacious faith, proclaiming the gospel.

We need to be in His presence. We need to seek Him that we would be filled. Recall that those who hunger and thirst for righteousness shall be satisfied, not for our own sakes, but for the sake of everyone around us.

Ps Paula speaks about the hungry who shall be filled.....She references Matthew 5:6 (NKJV) "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, For they shall be filled". Many people are getting tired of what the world has to offer because they're realising that it does not satisfy. Paula was reading this verse excitedly as the Bible says that we shall be filled - this is not just for us, but also for anyone who does not know Jesus yet. Often we hunger and thirst for something more than the world can offer.

Ps Paula goes on to speak about Matthew 9:14-15 (NKJV) "Then the disciples of John came to Him, saying, “Why do we and the Pharisees fast often, but Your disciples do not fast?” And Jesus said to them, “Can the friends of the bridegroom mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them? But the days will come when the bridegroom will be taken away from them, and then they will fast." Jesus was basically saying here, why should his disciples fast when God himself is right with them? There was no need to fast, but he explained that one day when Jesus goes, then his disciples will need to fast. And that one day has carried on ever since Jesus ascended to Heaven....

This week we have a period of Prayer and Fasting in the church so these verses are relevant as Ps Paula carries on to explain how fasting with prayer is a spiritual discipline we can include in our lives to move ever closer to our Lord.

Prayer & Fasting is a gift to us, when we seek God we find him, we are humbled before God. In God's presence we find freedom, breakthrough and release from oppression. This week we shall pray for a fresh commitment to

1. seek the Lord afresh, humility & urgency to ask for His presence, wisdom, and power for this next season
2. consecration to examine our hearts before God returning to holiness & wholeheartedness
3. bold living, to be courageous in our witness, bold in our faith, and unashamed of the Gospel to live lives that provoke questions that carry hope displaying God's kingdom

Following last week's message by Ps Andy (Rise up and Build), this week Ps Steu starts to lay detail by looking at the nature of our foundations - individually and as a whole church. Everything God builds is spectacular, strong and stands through the storms. We all have storms in our lives at times, but everything God builds has strong foundations to last for ever.

Ps Steu explains how foundations need to be adequate for the shape of the building, the reach of the building, or the size of the building also, the height and longevity of the building. This is true in physical terms and also in spiritual terms for what God is to accomplish in our lives.

If we are to build something significant, it starts with a strong foundation. As we step into the next season for Family Church, God is asking us to make sure the foundation is right for what He wants to do next. God wants our next to be significant, so it's important to take time to make sure the foundations are good - no shortcuts. In Matthew 16:18, He said to Peter who had an amazing revelation of who Jesus is - "I also say to you that you're Peter and on this rock I will build my church and the gates of Hades shall not prevail".

Ps Steu continues to unpack revelation between the physical and spiritual, and asks key questions...

1. What foundations need to be laid in our lives to correctly prepare for what God wants to build
2. If we have ideas of what God wants to build in our lives, what foundations need to be laid in order to correctly prepare here
3. Are our foundations going deep enough, are we aware that its possible that foundations laid so far are not deep enough, so more time is required to correct this
4. When we do rise to a great height and God uses us in glorious ways, this has to be a sustainable position for the future....to reach out further, we must ensure foundations are deep enough

We are all living stones in the work God is doing in the church. He is building every one of us. We all have a part to play in the building of God's house, to be filled with His presence, His Glory and Splendour.

Ps Andy has been hearing from the Lord for things in his and Ps Gina's lives for this new year, also things for other people, especially the rest of Family Church.

Ps Andy takes as a key scripture the verses in Nehemiah 2, especially verses 17-20 (NKJV) "Then I said to them, “You see the distress that we are in, how Jerusalem lies waste, and its gates are burned with fire. Come and let us build the wall of Jerusalem, that we may no longer be a reproach.” And I told them of the hand of my God which had been good upon me, and also of the king’s words that he had spoken to me. So they said, “Let us rise up and build.” Then they set their hands to this good work. But when Sanballat the Horonite, Tobiah the Ammonite official, and Geshem the Arab heard of it, they laughed at us and despised us, and said, “What is this thing that you are doing? Will you rebel against the king?” So I answered them, and said to them, “The God of heaven Himself will prosper us; therefore we His servants will arise and build, but you have no heritage or right or memorial in Jerusalem.”

Ps Andy emphasises that we all personally need to have an agenda of 'Rise up and Build' for the new year. We need to be servant hearted as was Nehemiah, not rest on our laurels, be thankful for the foundations well laid in our lives and those of Family Church itself, being prepared to get behind the leadership in building the future. Time for procrastination is over!

Interestingly the story in the scripture above shows how having a word from God, having a servant heart and having determination in the face of opposition will bring success in short order. Nehemiah rebuild the walls of Jerusalem in 52 days!

This a challenging message for 2026!

Ps Andy provides an encouraging message that provokes the listener to step out of an old year into a new year by faith. Both our leaving and arriving need to be bold steps of faith that see God behind and God ahead. Using the keys of thankfulness and faith we cross over in strength.