Joel Hawthorne

Joel Hawthorne

Joel was born and raised in a Christian family in Belfast, while his wife, Rebecca, grew up in Cape Town. After completing his studies at Queen's University, Joel began a career as a financial risk consultant, which led him to relocate to Edinburgh in 2019. He and Rebecca are active members of the local church meeting at Gorgie Gospel Hall. Since May 2024, Joel has dedicated himself to full-time Bible preaching and teaching.

Why God's Commands are Good – Genesis 2:16

Stephen and Joel talk about why God's commandments aren't just rules—they're the key to relationship.

Joel Hawthorne

How Christians Make Sense of Suffering

Joel and Stephen talk about the reality of brokenness and suffering in a world God once called "good".

Joel Hawthorne

Why God is not a 'Cosmic Spoilsport'

Joel and Stephen delve into Genesis to understand how God's goodness is expressed through His blessings and the boundaries He sets for humanity.

Joel Hawthorne

Made in the image of God. What's that all about?

Joel and Stephen talk about what Christians believe about the distinct creation of human beings (Genesis 1:26-27).

Joel Hawthorne

The Foundation of Everything: Genesis 1:1

Joel and Stephen talk about the biggest implication of Creation.

Joel Hawthorne

Is Hell Forever?

It is one thing to believe in a God who punishes sins. It is another thing to believe in a God who punishes sins forever.

Joel Hawthorne

How Can A Loving God Send Anyone To Hell?

You say that your God is a god of love. But then you tell me that anyone who refuses to believe in Jesus will go to hell forever.

Joel Hawthorne

Why Should I Become A Christian?

Only in Jesus, by trusting and following Him, can you experience true freedom and true joy.

Joel Hawthorne

Who Is Jesus?

Jesus is more than you think. He didn’t come to tell you how to live your life. He came to die for your sins.

Joel Hawthorne

What Is The Christian Gospel?

The “gospel” is the core message of the Bible and simply means “good news”. It tells us that God loves us and wants a relationship with us.

Joel Hawthorne

How Can I Know God?

As a tree is meant to live in the earth, and a fish is meant to live in water, so we are meant to live in relationship with God.

Joel Hawthorne

Rethinking Evangelism (Part 7): Effective Evangelism

The most important thing about evangelism is that we do it. The best way to learn how to evangelise is to do it.

Joel Hawthorne

The first Christmas

The first Christmas tells a story which can bring joy to us all.

Joel Hawthorne

“Neither shall they learn war any more”

We long for deliverance from conflicts, to live in a world without fear of violence and bloodshed.

Joel Hawthorne

Living as a Christian

Blood, Toil, Tears and Sweat

The cost of discipleship.

Joel Hawthorne

My Chains are Gone

When Jesus rose from the dead, He showed that He was not bound by any power.

Joel Hawthorne

Bible Characters

Daniel : Laws and Lawbreakers

Laws, therefore, can be good or evil. Morality, on the other hand, is God’s law – it is decreed by Him and finds its basis in His character. It is always good. Laws may change, morality does not.

Joel Hawthorne

Bible Characters

Daniel : Parties and Courtrooms

“There is probably no God. Now stop worrying and enjoy your life”, declared the sign on the side of the bus. The audacity of the statement blew me away.

Joel Hawthorne

Bible Characters

Daniel : Kings and Beasts

Everyone knows the old adage, “pride comes before a fall”. The saying originates in the Proverbs but nowhere is it more dramatically and thoroughly played out than in Daniel chapter 4.

Joel Hawthorne

Choose For Yourselves This Day

It has been one of their most bitter and vicious political contests in recent memory.

Joel Hawthorne

What Kind of Freedom?

Freedom. We all know what the word means, but, until the beginning of 2020, many of us hadn’t realised how truly precious freedom is.

Joel Hawthorne

Bible Characters

Daniel : Idols and Furnaces

Amid the scorn and ridicule of the world, we can stand with our heads held high. We serve the greatest power that ever was or ever will be.

Joel Hawthorne

Bible Characters

Daniel : Dreams and Prayers

God doesn’t just want us to listen to Him, He wants to listen to us

Joel Hawthorne

Bible Characters

Daniel : Convictions and Choices

Like all of the captives the Babylonians brought back from their conquered lands, Daniel was re-educated with the aim of changing his way of thinking.

Joel Hawthorne

Bible Characters

Daniel : A Tale of Two Cities

Daniel lived in the same world we live in. Yes, it was 2,500 years ago. But Daniel’s challenges are our challenges.

Joel Hawthorne

Should We Fear Jesus Christ?

We fear many things, some rational, some irrational. But no one fears a man they know and love.

Joel Hawthorne