Weekly talks from bread, in Hollywood, CA. Bread is an open-minded, Spirit-filled, non-denominational church in the heart of Los Angeles. We believe in the world-changing power of Jesus and the present day work of the Holy Spirit.
Reading the feed…
A good news church: the Bible describes Jesus as good news. His church therefore must be somewhere where people hear good news- good news that in Jesus, God can be known, he is a friend who understands, he offers a way out of cycles of destructive behavior, he goes before us in everything, he champions us like an older brother, and he delivers us from all fear. This is good news. And we aspire to be a good news church.
John 13–17 Jesus announced - and demonstrated - that the Kingdom of God had come. And yet, on the night before his death, Jesus prepared his disciples for a reality they had not expected: the Kingdom had come, but it had not yet come in its fullness. It is a tension we still live in 2000 years later. At bread, we want to live faithfully in the overlap: praying boldly and expecting the supernatural power of the Kingdom to break into the present, while refusing to deny the very real suffering, disappointment and loss of the world we still inhabit. So, how do we live with expectation and disappoi
Acts 6:11-13 & Acts 7 From the beginning, Jesus' Church has been rooted in the Scriptures. This is seen no more clearly than in Stephen's biblical defense of the fledging Christian community in Acts 7. At bread, we aspire to be a Biblical church. This means, amongst other things, never reducing God to a particular geographical place; never reducing him to a man-made cause; never shirking the reality of our human sin and weakness; and always having our eyes fixed on Jesus. To be a Biblical church is not just about teaching and interpreting the Bible well, it's about having it written on our hea
Psalm 2 This prophetic Psalm is one of the richest, Messianic Psalms written, giving us an understanding of the absolute authority of Israel’s coming Messiah. Psalm 2 points us to the future of the Messiah’s Kingship and Kingdom, and the ultimate subjugation of Christ’s enemies and the kings of this world, where the final reality is laid out: all will either submit to Christ the King’s eternal reign, or be destroyed. The timeline presented in Psalm 2 not only points us to partial fulfillment in Acts 4, but also contains within it a key verse, that presents a powerful foundational truth, positi
Psalm 51 Psalm 51 gives us incredible insight into how David viewed God even when he had gravely sinned. It’s a study in the nature of our Heavenly Father. David didn’t allow shame to make him cower before God. He didn’t see Him as a hard taskmaster to be feared, but rather as his safe place to run ‘to; not run ‘from.’ David learned throughout his life that being in God’s presence was the most precious thing he could ever experience. So, this Psalm isn’t self abasement from David, but instead, intense liberating repentance based on his absolute knowledge that just like us in our New Covenant
Psalm 46 Psalm 46 reminds us that God is not only supreme and powerful, but also eternally merciful. By painting the picture of a God who rules over all creation, as well as the warring nations, the Psalmist reminds us of His love and mercy towards His people. That even in the midst of total chaos, our God invites us to be still and know that He is God. By Bram Manusama
Psalm 139 To be human is to be made for intimacy - with other people vitally, but also with God primarily. In Psalm 139 we see how nothing is hidden from God. He knows us intimately. This can lead us to do two things - run away from Him; or run towards Him. We run away because we're afraid - usually of rejection, abandonment, or humiliation. But David understands that that is not what awaits us, nor is running away anything but futile. No one can get away from God's presence. Instead, He runs towards God's love - His love is intimately concerned with us, it is fiercely passionate for us, and i
Psalm 110 More than any other, Psalm 110 reveals the identity of the Messiah. Jesus is the fulfillment of David’s prophecy in this psalm: Jesus has completed the work God assigned him setting us right with God, Jesus is Lord over all that we ever face, Jesus is our eternal priest caring and interceding for us, and Jesus is extending His kingdom over evil with us as His willing army in the fight. By Ed Flint
Psalm 19 (NIV); Psalm 19 (Message) The Psalms don't just tell us about God—they teach us how to speak to him. Psalm 19 invites us into an ancient prayer of orientation, that begins with the skies, delights in instruction, and ends with a simple prayer of surrender. But to hear it well, we have to step outside our modern assumptions about science, faith, and religious rules—and learn to see the world a little more like ancient Israel did. It's an invitation to slow down, recover wonder, and allow the Holy Spirit to write God's ways on our hearts. By Hannah Flint
Psalm 8 God of Humanity The Bible answers the fundamental question of what it means to be human, by saying: it means to be in relationship with God. It's less about who we are and more about whose we are. When we start with God, we experience life as it’s supposed to be lived: we see that God is enormous and powerful; we are small; our worship shuts the mouth of all that comes against us; God cares about the smallest details of our lives; and in our weakness he makes us strong. We come to God as we are, and he meets us there. By Ed Flint
Psalm 96 At bread, we value the manifest presence of God above all else. Worship is essential for that. Since the beginning God's people have sung songs of worship. We are commanded to do so; it's who we were created to be; and He alone is worthy of it. Worship will always be the ultimate goal for humanity. So we're learning that as we bring our full selves- body, mind and spirit- to worship, trusting in the cross of Christ, we draw close to God, and He to us. Our worship welcomes in the King of the Kingdom. And wherever He is, his Kingdom comes. By Ed Flint
Matthew 25:14-30; Genesis 2:15 Returning to Jesus' parable of the talents, we consider how this story relates to all areas of our lives other than money. We have all been variously gifted by God - not just in respect of our abilities or talents, but also with regards to our history, our personality, our relationships, our experiences, all of what makes us, us. As co-collaborators with God in building his kingdom, we're called not to sit on all that we've been given, but to invest it. We're called to use it for the good of people, and the glory of God. If we don't, we're in danger of losing it.
Luke 14:15-24; Isaiah 25:6-8 The Parable of the Great Banquet is Jesus opening the doors to everyone. After being invited to dinner by a group of Pharisees, Jesus answers their question on who’s in and who’s out in his new kingdom. Drawing from Isaiah’s messianic banquet prophecy 700 years earlier, Jesus redeclares God’s desire for everyone to be included. That means you too! By Tom Powell
Mark 4:30-34 The Kingdom of God being parabolically described as a mustard seed by Jesus in Mark 4 was surprising to his listeners by the shore of the sea, to say the least. And his reference to nesting birds might seem benign enough to us, but to them, the splendid cedar of imperial messianic power (from Ezekiel and Daniel) was supposed to provide birds shelter. So the image of the mustard plant — found blooming bright yellow all over Los Angeles in springtime, just as it was across Galilee — becomes significant in all sorts of ways: there’s no singular main trunk, but a multitude of stems; i
Matthew 13:1-23 The Kingdom of God is what life looks like when Jesus is in charge. It has already begun through Jesus, but it’s not yet fully visible; it is present, but hidden, and we as His people are called not just to be in it, but to participate in God’s kingdom work in the world. The Parable of the Sower demonstrates Kingdom people as a quiet resistance force—joining God in pushing back against evil through love, witness, and action-- and teaches us three important principles. First, sow generously: share the message of Jesus widely without worrying about results—God’s Kingdom is marked
John 3:1-8, Ezekiel 36:25-27 Following on from last week's talk about who the real Jesus of the gospels is, today we consider the sort of life he promises to bring. In his interaction with Nicodemus, Jesus promises something more radical than any religious, political or social leader has ever offered. He says that what humanity’s needs goes beyond sociological, economic, or political revolutions, and beyond psychological revolutions. Jesus says humanity's problems all stem from a spiritual problem, so only a spiritual solution will do. He says everyone must be born again. Only with the spiritu
Sign up for alpha With our upcoming Alpha course beginning April 28th, we consider what it is we’re doing when we invite our friends to the course. Ultimately we’re inviting them to meet Jesus. And He always meets people just as they are. From his interaction with the Samaritan woman (John 4:1-30) we see that Jesus, fully human, is not afraid to admit his needs. He meets us on equal and humble footing: bestowing dignity, breaking down barriers, treating us equally, offering the supernatural water of life that fully satisfies, and bringing the presence of God into the midst of us. Jesus is the
How do we seek out the lost sheep? What does loving the most vulnerable look like? How do we see and love people with the heart of Jesus? Our guest speaker Bob Ekblad shares his story and experiences of working with people on the margins: folks struggling with addiction, inmates, immigrants, and so many other people who have been overlooked by society. He unpacks what it looks like to be a disciple of Jesus: lambs called to seek out sheep in a world surrounded by wolves. By Bob Ekblad
The resurrection means everything good will be restored. Because of Jesus’ bodily, historical rising from the dead, a new day has dawned. Just as the power of sin touched every single part of creation at the fall, the power of the resurrection is redeeming every single part of creation since Easter. Sin and death has been swallowed up in the victory of God. God is restoring everything- paintings and buildings, people and marriages, relationships and families, hearts and bodies, and the whole universe! So, when it comes to the future, we need not be pessimists nor optimists; instead we can be s
Matthew 7:13-29 Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount concludes with a choice: which road will we walk? The “narrow way” is not about securing a distant afterlife, but about embracing a transformed life here and now—one shaped by the Spirit’s ongoing work within us. Set against the backdrop of Israel’s coming destruction, Jesus warns of the broad road that ultimately leads to a wasted life, disconnected from true purpose. For us today, this choice remains just as urgent. Kingdom people resist moralism in all its forms, reject shallow measures of success, and push back against radical individualism. Inste
Matthew 7:1-12 The Sermon on the Mount is not merely about behavior, but about a deep transformation of the heart that enables Kingdom living from the inside out. As we conclude our series, we consider Jesus' closing statement: “do to others what you would have them do to you.” His “Golden Rule” is the simple yet demanding summary of his teaching to this point. He calls believers not just to avoid harm but to actively pursue good through restoration and generosity toward others. Ultimately, Kingdom people are those who resist judgmentalism, practice self-awareness, and extend to others the sam
Matthew 6:19-24 The Revolution Jesus is leading us into has to work its way into our systems of valuing - exposing what we treasure. Jesus presses this issue because He is fully aware of the duality resulting from trying to live in both Kingdoms - of Mammon and of God - at the same time. The result will be crippling anxiety and paralyzing worry. So… His solution is to choose relentless focus on the Kingdom of God and to let that choice inform our attitudes and behaviors around money, time, and other measures of value. By Bill Dogterom
Matthew 6:5-15 Today we focus in on The Lord’s Prayer, Jesus’s teaching on what is called prayer in Matthew 6:5-15, and how prayer is for everyone at all times. We also learn about the radical state of practicing the presence of God through prayer without ceasing as exemplified by the life of Brother Lawrence. By Paul Maertens
In a break from our 'Live the Revolution' series, and at the conclusion our most recent Alpha Course, we dedicate our Sunday Service to the subject of the Holy Spirit: Who is the Holy Spirit? What does the Holy Spirit do? How can we be filled with the Holy Spirit? The Christian life is not just about faith in Jesus - who He is and what He has done. Putting our faith in Jesus is the vital first step. But the Holy Spirit is the one in whose dimension of life we go on to experience God throughout the rest of our lives. So without Him we have nothing. But with the power of the Spirit in our lives,
Matthew 6:1-8, 16-18 Having shown what a kingdom heart and the kingdom life looks like, Jesus concludes His Sermon on the Mount with a series of warnings about inhibiting the kingdom life. The first concerns the desire for approval from anyone other than God our Father. When our motivation to give, pray and fast is clouded by what others think of us, we need to beware. Kingdom People are called to devote themselves to the audience of One - our loving Father in heaven. When we do this we receive the greatest of rewards - more of him - his presence, peace, love, and power. By Ed Flint
