Laneway Church Bathurst

Freedom from the fear of missing my calling

Fear of missing your calling can weigh heavily. We wonder if we are in the right place or if we have somehow missed what God had planned. Yet the Bible reminds us that our calling is not limited to a career or a title. From the very beginning, Genesis 2 shows that God created us with work to do, and Colossians 3:23 reminds us that whatever we do is for the Lord. Psalm 138 says He has a purpose for our lives, and Isaiah 65 gives us hope that nothing done in Him is in vain.

In this week’s panel of Laneway Stories, Pastor Rowe sat down with Peter and Bron to talk about vocation, work, and the peace of walking with God in all seasons. Bron shared, “I get so much joy in enabling students to be creative. That is my happy place.” Peter reflected on years in the banking world, saying, “For me, God was with me wherever I worked.”

As we consider our own work and season of life, we can take heart that God is with us in it. He has not abandoned us to chance but has purposes that unfold through both the ordinary and the unexpected.

Stay connected with Laneway Church and our lead Pastors Jeff and Rowena Lloyd:
🌐 laneway.church 📱 Instagram: @lanewaychurchbathurst_ | @jeff.lloyd.bathurst | @rlloyd24
#LanewayChurch #FreedomFromFear #GodsCalling #WeAreC3

Freedom from the fear of relationship breakdown

Fear of being hurt, fear of being let down, fear of being alone. Relationships can feel risky, and many of us carry scars that make us want to pull back or protect ourselves. But God’s design for us has always been love and connection, not isolation.

In this message, Col shares how Jesus offers freedom from the fear that holds us back in relationships. Drawing from John 17, Ecclesiastes 4, and Romans 12, he reminds us that we’re created in God’s image for community, called to love and forgive as we’ve been loved and forgiven. Our love for one another is how the world sees that Jesus is the Son of God, and it’s why the enemy works so hard to sow division.

Col explores how seeking God’s kingdom first (Matthew 6:33) transforms how we relate to others, helping us forgive even when it’s hard, love beyond our own strength (Philippians 4:13), and overcome evil with good. Jesus’ banner over us is love, and His love empowers us to live reconciled and hope-filled, even when relationships have been messy or painful.

Stay connected with Laneway Church and our lead Pastors Jeff and Rowena Lloyd:
🌐 laneway.church 📱 Instagram: @lanewaychurchbathurst_ | @jeff.lloyd.bathurst | @rlloyd24
#LanewayChurch #FreedomFromFear #FaithFilledRelationships #WeAreC3

Freedom from the fear of financial lack

Money pressures, rising costs, dwindling savings. The fear of financial lack is real. It can feel like there’s never enough, and anxiety about tomorrow creeps into today.

In this message, Pastor Jeff shares how God’s Word gives us freedom from that fear. Drawing from the story of Elijah and the widow in 1 Kings 17, Jeff reminds us that while brooks may dry up and jars may look empty, God is always our provider. The earth is the Lord’s and everything in it (Psalm 24:1), and He is faithful to supply all our needs according to His riches in Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:19). There’s no lack in God’s kingdom.

At the heart of this message is a shift from fear to trust, from relying on our own limited resources to living in God’s unlimited provision. Jeff shows how freedom comes when we put God first in every part of life, trust Him with the first of our finances, practice faithful giving through tithes and generosity, and learn to live wisely while believing for God’s abundance.

This is an invitation to step into a life where fear of lack is replaced by faith in God’s goodness. Faithful giving leads to faith-filled living where there is always enough, and often overflow.

Stay connected with Laneway Church and our lead Pastors Jeff and Rowena Lloyd:
🌐 laneway.church 📱 Instagram: @lanewaychurchbathurst_ | @jeff.lloyd.bathurst | @rlloyd24
#LanewayChurch #FreedomFromFear #FaithOverFinances #WeAreC3

Freedom from the fear of global chaos

War, disaster, political unrest, environmental collapse. Our feeds are full of it. The noise is relentless, the chaos feels constant, and fear can settle deep into our bones.

In this message, Pastor Jeff invites us to step back and look at the bigger story. Romans 8 describes all creation groaning under the weight of brokenness, longing for redemption. Revelation 21 promises that God will make all things new. Between those two truths is where we live, and it changes how we face the news, the uncertainty, and the unknown.

At the heart of this message is a simple but life-changing shift: replacing the world’s story of chance, with God’s story of creation. When we believe the right story, we find peace, not because the chaos stops, but because Jesus has overcome the world.

Jeff shares four counter-cultural ways to live in the middle of global turmoil:

1. Pray: take your concerns to the highest authority (Philippians 4:6–7)
2. Give: choose one need and meet it (Proverbs 19:17)
3. Serve: focus on the people God has placed close to you (Galatians 6:9–10)
4. Care for your soul: let God lead you beside quiet waters (Psalm 23:1–2)

This is an invitation to trade anxiety for trust, fear for hope, and despair for a deep, steady peace. The world may be groaning, but the story is not over. God is making all things new.

Stay connected with Laneway Church and our lead Pastors Jeff and Rowena Lloyd:
🌐 laneway.church 📱 Instagram: @lanewaychurchbathurst_ | @jeff.lloyd.bathurst | @rlloyd24
#LanewayChurch #FreedomFromFear #PeaceInChaos #WeAreC3

Freedom from Fear

This week, Pastor Jeff sits down with guest Pastor Greg French to launch our August series: Freedom From Fear.

Greg shares honestly and powerfully about facing fear head-on, most notably when he was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin lymphoma at the start of COVID. With clarity and depth, he unpacks how faith doesn't eliminate fear but gives us a way through it. Armed with Scripture, community, and a word from God, “I’ve got this”, Greg walks through uncertainty with courage and conviction. His story is one of resilience, hope, healing, and refusing to let fear write the final chapter.

This isn't just about surviving a health crisis. It's about living a life that stays open to God's purposes, no matter your age or season. Greg reminds us that “while there is breath, there is hope.”

This conversation sets the tone for our August focus: confronting the fears that quietly shape our lives: fear of lack, fear of missing our calling, fear of global chaos, and fear in the digital age. Through it all, we'll explore what it means to live prepared, full of faith, and confident in God's promises.

God hasn’t called us to a life of fear, but a life of faith. What might He want to set you free from this month?

Stay connected with Laneway Church and our lead Pastors Jeff and Rowena Lloyd:
🌐 laneway.church 📱 Instagram: @lanewaychurchbathurst_ | @jeff.lloyd.bathurst | @rlloyd24
#LanewayChurch #FreedomFromFear #MyGodCan #OvercomingFear #WeAreC3

Laneway Stores: Ordinary people belonging together

In this message, we hear two powerful stories from people in our Laneway community, Esther and Peter, ordinary lives marked by an extraordinary God.

Esther shares about a difficult work season and the quiet shift that happened when she started praying not just about her boss, but for her. What began as frustration turned into compassion. Instead of asking God to change her situation, she let Him change her heart. And through every setback, she saw God's faithful hand guiding her to healing, provision, and a workplace where she could thrive.

Peter reflects on a life-changing missions trip to Uganda. He thought he was going to build, but God had something much deeper in mind. From preaching unexpectedly to confronting spiritual darkness, Peter found himself transformed. “Trust God. Take Him at His word. He’ll take you at yours. And He’ll take your ordinary and make it something Kingdom special.”

These stories remind us that faith is forged in the quiet places, in the decisions we make to stay loyal, to trust again, to show up, and to follow Jesus even when it’s costly.

What could He do with your ordinary if you gave it fully to Him?

Stay connected with Laneway Church and our lead Pastors Jeff and Rowena Lloyd:
🌐 laneway.church 📱 Instagram: @lanewaychurchbathurst_ | @jeff.lloyd.bathurst | @rlloyd24
#LanewayChurch #BookOfRuth #OrdinaryFaithfulness #WeAreC3

Boaz: Simple integrity

In this message, Pastor Rowe brings us to the threshing floor in Ruth chapter 3, where character is tested in the dark. While our world often celebrates romance and power, God celebrates integrity, and Boaz models it beautifully.

Boaz’s life wasn’t dramatic or flashy. But it was faithful. He noticed the overlooked, welcomed the outsider, protected the vulnerable, and honoured family. And when faced with temptation, his years of quiet, consistent character formation meant his response was unwavering: he acted with honour.

We need more people like Boaz in our world. People whose character has been shaped after Jesus. People who can stand firm in the moment because they've been faithful in the mundane.

At the heart of this story is more than a good man. It's a glimpse of our Redeemer. What Boaz did for one woman, Jesus does for all. He steps into our story to rescue, redeem, and restore. He invites us to respond.

So here’s the question: Do you need Jesus to be your Redeemer today? Or are you being called to become a person of integrity, someone who makes the kind of everyday decisions that shape a life of purpose and influence?

Boaz’s story shows us this: simple integrity can change everything.

Stay connected with Laneway Church and our lead Pastors Jeff and Rowena Lloyd:
🌐 laneway.church 📱 Instagram: @lanewaychurchbathurst_ | @jeff.lloyd.bathurst | @rlloyd24
#LanewayChurch #BookOfRuth #OrdinaryFaithfulness #WeAreC3

Ruth: The Power of loyalty

Loyalty is radical and in the story of Ruth, it changes everything.

In this message, Pastor Jeff takes us deeper into the second chapter of Ruth, exploring the quiet, courageous power of loyalty. Ruth’s commitment to Naomi was costly, counter-cultural, and full of faith. And it’s exactly the kind of loyalty that reflects the heart of God.

At the heart of this story is a simple but life-defining decision: "Where you go, I will go. Where you live, I will live. Your people will be my people, and your God will be my God."

This was Ruth’s response to Naomi and it’s also an invitation to each of us. Could you say that to Jesus today? Could this be your moment to follow Him in faith, in loyalty, and in love?

To follow Jesus like Ruth followed Naomi means embracing a different way of living. Jeff closes with ten counter-cultural, biblical practices that celebrate the beauty of ordinary faith:

1. Faithfulness in small things (Luke 16:10)
2. Serving without being seen (Matthew 6:4)
3. Slowing down and resting (Exodus 20:8–11)
4. Loving the unlovely (Luke 6:27–28)
5. Welcoming the outsider (Leviticus 19:34)
6. Practicing contentment (1 Timothy 6:6)
7. Honouring mundane work (Colossians 3:23)
8. Quiet trust over loud opinion (1 Thessalonians 4:11)
9. Showing loyalty and commitment (Matthew 5:37)
10. Rejoicing in suffering (James 1:2–4)

This message is for anyone who’s ready to stop drifting and start following. Ruth’s story shows us: ordinary faithfulness is powerful, and God moves through it.

Stay connected with Laneway Church and our lead Pastors Jeff and Rowena Lloyd:
🌐 laneway.church
📱 Instagram: @lanewaychurchbathurst_ | @jeff.lloyd.bathurst | @rlloyd24
#LanewayChurch #BookOfRuth #OrdinaryFaithfulness #WeAreC3

Naomi: You're not done yet!

In this message, Col takes us into the opening chapter of Ruth and the life of Naomi: a woman whose story reminds us that even in grief, loss, and disappointment, God is still at work.

Through famine, death, and the shame of exile, Naomi's journey is one of resilience and honesty. She doesn't sugarcoat her pain. She laments. She questions. She returns home bitter and broken. But her story doesn’t end there.

Col invites us to consider: What does it mean to come home when you feel like you’ve failed? How do we trust God when everything falls apart again and again?

From Ruth 1 to Psalm 103, this message reminds us that our God is not intimidated by our pain. He welcomes our grief, carries our burdens, and continues to write redemption into the parts of our story that feel too far gone.

This message is for anyone who wonders if it’s too late. Naomi’s story says: You’re not done yet. And neither is God.

Stay connected with Laneway Church and our lead Pastors Jeff and Rowena Lloyd:
🌐 laneway.church 📱
Instagram: @lanewaychurchbathurst_ | @jeff.lloyd.bathurst | @rlloyd24
#LanewayChurch #Naomi #YoureNotDoneYet #WeAreC3

Laneway Stories of Holy Spirit Presence

The Holy Spirit is closer than you think and He’s speaking. Are you listening?

This week Pastor Jeff hosts a panel conversation with two Laneway legends, Chris and Sharon, as they share real stories of encountering the Holy Spirit in everyday life.

From avoiding car accidents and rogue kangaroos to workplace challenges and pivotal moments of guidance, we hear how the presence of the Holy Spirit isn’t just for the extraordinary, it’s for the ordinary. Chris shares how one word from God shaped his entire career and literally saved a life, while Sharon testifies to God’s gentle reminders through Scripture, guidance in the mundane, and a quiet moment that unlocked the gift of tongues.

This message reminds us that the Spirit speaks through Scripture, impressions, whispers, and stillness, and that we are invited into a relationship that’s more than a monologue. It’s a dialogue with the living God.