open icon
baptist church
baptist church
Preacher: Nathan Nettleton
At Open Icon Baptist Church, we value great preaching — preaching that engages deeply, humbly and honestly with Jesus, the Bible, and the pain and joy of living in the real world. And since going permanently online, we have been able to welcome great preachers from all over the world without having to wait for them to visit our shores. Click here to meet the inspirational preachers depicted in the gallery above, none of whom have preached for us!
Each sermon below opens in a new tab. Close the tab when you're done to return to this page.
Pastor
Nathan Nettleton
Nathan Nettleton has served as pastor of this congregation since 1994. He was ordained as a Baptist pastor that same year and completed an honours degree in theology at Whitley College in 1995, followed by a Master of Theology in Liturgical Studies from the University of Divinity in 2001. In our church, he carries particular responsibilities for the preaching, teaching, and ordering of worship and prayer, and for pastoral care. He also writes liturgical resources for a global audience through LaughingBird.net, and serves as a board member of Open Baptists. Nathan is married to Margie, and they have an adult daughter, Acacia, and two dogs.
Sermons by Nathan Nettleton
-
23 March, 1997
Many of the stories of Jesus’ life, such as the entry into Jerusalem, can only be properly understood in light of the death and resurrection of Jesus, and so the church has a vital role in the revelation of the gospel.
-
2 February, 1997
Moments of transfiguration show how much more lies beyond our mundane perceptions – of Jesus, of the world, of ourselves.
-
15 December, 1996
With the coming of the Christ, our deepest longings and yearnings will be fulfilled.
-
8 December, 1996
God does not wish our suffering and struggle to continue, but is ready to gather us in his arms, and calls us to prepare for his arrival.
-
24 November, 1996
Christ’s call to respond to his presence in the needy is a call for the church to embrace a lifestyle of radical communal hospitality (but we have often used it to justify empires built on the labour of guilt-ridden, over-extended, under-prepared Christians!)
-
10 November, 1996
Preacher: Nathan Nettleton
Topic: Faithfulness, Fullness of Life, Generosity, Hospitality, Stewardship
Scripture: Matthew
Although all in the church may appear equally worthy, it is those who live the life (inward and outward) of the Kingdom now who are prepared for its coming.
-
27 October, 1996
Jesus summarised the way by saying “Love God with everything you have and love your neighbour.” We find that easy enough to accept as the answer to a question but much harder to really live by.
-
13 October, 1996
All that is required to inherit all the fullness of the Kingdom is to accept the invitation and throw yourself wholeheartedly into the celebration.
-
6 October, 1996
Preacher: Nathan Nettleton
Topic: Conversion, Discipleship, Formation, Fullness of Life, Jesus, Resurrection, Spirituality
Scripture: Philippians
There are all sorts of things that can make us look impressively Christian, but the only thing that matters is to deeply know Christ and to enter with him into the experience of his suffering and resurrection.
-
7 July, 1996
Sin is a seemingly objective force for evil within us that can only be addressed when it’s out in the open before a merciful God.
-
30 June, 1996
It is true that God is love, but God’s love is so tough, demanding and uncomfortably interactional that we will sometimes experience it as harsh, unpredictable and unreasonable.
-
9 June, 1996
God calls the most ordinary people to be his followers and through following we become a blessing to others.