GCCWS: Recent Episodes
GCCWS
Grace Community Church of Willow Street exists to help people find and follow Jesus. We are located at 212 Peach Bottom Road in Willow Street, PA. Join us for a live service on Saturday at 6 PM or Sunday at 8, 9:15, or 11 AM. You can find more information on our church website: gccws.net
Have you ever had doubts about your relationship with God?
You believe in and trust Jesus Christ, and you are striving to live out your faith in Christ, but doubts still ‘rear their ugly head.’ How do you deal with those doubts?
There is only one answer to those questions, and that answer: TRUST IN GOD.
The path to assurance in times of self-doubt is trust in God.
How that truth works itself out in our life, amidst your doubts, will be the focus of our attention this weekend as we study 1 John 3:19-24.
Actions speak louder than words! That’s the truth, and that’s the truth John drives home in 1 John 3:11-18. This catchy phrase can be, and has been, used to describe all kinds of behavior in life. It underscores the importance of living out what you believe rather than just talking about it. It encourages people to take action and, in our Scripture study this weekend, it encourages us to ACTIVELY LOVE others. How we do that will be the focus of study and God’s challenge to our hearts.
Struggling with life's challenges? Join us as we dive into 1 John and find practical ways to live as God's child, confident and unashamed. Learn how to shift your perspective, embrace your identity in Christ, and hold on to the hope of His return. We are praying that you will be encouraged in your daily walk and leave church with a better understanding of God’s perspective!
Who is the Antichrist? When will he come? What will he look like? Is he alive today? How do I know I will not follow him by mistake?
According to the Apostle John, we are led astray by overthinking answers to questions we are not privileged to know. What matters most is for the believer to remain in Jesus – stay with Jesus – keep their eyes fixed on Jesus. All too often in our world, people are more concerned about the Antichrist than Christ – they want to point out every false teacher coming rather than praise the One who already came.
This weekend, we continue our sermons series through the letters of the Apostle John by looking at 1 John 2:18-27. And, although there are false teachers – antichrists who oppose Jesus, John argues that if we remain in Jesus, we will not need to worry about being carried away from Jesus.
Welcome to 1 John 2:12-17! These next verses in our study of 1 John unearth the truth about living a double life. They begin with a beautiful description of the life that God gives us in Christ, but they end with a warning. It’s a strong, sobering warning to Christians to flee from the temptation to live a double life in this world. What is a double life? It is a life lived in love with “the world or anything in the world” (1 John 2:15). Join me this weekend as we discover what “world” God is talking about and then explore how we should live in this world!
Last weekend, Pastor Paul taught from 1 John 2:3-6 that obedience, not results, makes the difference in the Christian life. Obedience is evidence of a life changed by Christ – doing what God says we should do. In 1 John 2:7-11, John zeroes in on that one command which he, and Jesus, consider the greatest command – the command to love. This weekend, we will do a deep dive into what it means to love one another. In the process, we will learn how to avoid the temptation to hate and how to escape from hateful thoughts and attitudes..
Sometimes, the end seems to justify the means in a world motivated by results. Sometimes, believers can ignore sin as long the results appear positive. Not so, John writes, in 1 John 2:3-6. Join us this weekend as we continue our sermon series in the book of 1 John and discover that obedience, not results, makes a difference.
This weekend, we will dig into 1 John 2:1-2. As you read these verses to prepare for worship, consider this: God traded places with us when He sent His only Son to die on a cross for our sins. God turned his wrath in punishment toward himself so he could turn his mercy in forgiveness toward us! This is amazing love!
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We are sinners. Every one of us. That’s the truth, but we still stumble over that truth. It’s still hard to grasp and hard to accept. John shines the light on our human struggle with sin in 1 John 1:5-10. He calls out the wrong choices people make regarding the sin in their lives, and he follows each wrong choice with a right choice. He explains God’s will and provision for us as we grapple with the problem of sin. As we study these verses this weekend, judge for yourself where you are regarding how you handle sin. Let the Holy Spirit examine your heart; be alert to what He is saying to you.
Join your GCC family as we continue to celebrate the truth that JESUS IS LORD! We will begin a new sermon series this weekend that will take us into the riches of 1, 2, and 3 John. These New Testament letters were written to a group of churches grappling with the fall-out from false teaching and ungodly behavior. These letters were written to bring assurance and certainty to Christians – the assurance that the Christian faith is absolutely true and Jesus is truly the one and only Savior of the world. And the assurance that we can have a new and eternal life in Jesus Christ! This weekend, we begin our study in 1 John 1:1-4. We look forward to seeing you at GCC!
HE IS RISEN! Jesus Christ is alive! He is the Savior of the World! He is the King of kings and the Lord of lords! Join your GCC family this weekend as we gather in five services to celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ. John 20:1-18 will come alive in our minds and hearts as we see the resurrection through the eyes of Mary Magdalene, and discover the power of His resurrection over sin, death and the powers of darkness in our world. Then, we’ll be inspired to go and tell others the Good News!
According to John 19:28-30, at the end of Jesus’ life, he says, “It is finished”—a single word in Greek, but not a single word in meaning. Jesus didn’t say, “I am finished,” “You are finished,” or “We are finished.” Rather, he roared like a lion, “It is finished.”Join us this weekend as we can discover what the finished work of Jesus was on the cross and what it means for us today.
What was crucifixion and why did Jesus have to endure this brutal form of execution? This Weekend, we'll unpack the physical and spiritual realities of the cross. What happened to Jesus? What happened because of Jesus? Get ready for a powerful look at the unconditional love that led Christ to the cross, as we continue the unconditional! sermon series on the road to Easter. Reread John 19 as you prepare for this message.
The cross is the most enduring symbol of Christianity. Peter, one of Jesus’ most devoted followers, wrote that Jesus himself bore our sins in his body on the cross, “so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed” (1 Peter 2:24). The cross of Jesus Christ is that pivotal point in history, the center of time and eternity, when unconditional love met indescribable suffering, which opened the way for the salvation of all mankind. “By his wounds you have been healed.” What are those wounds? Join us this weekend as we begin to look closely at the events leading up to that pivotal moment captured in John 19:16 when, “Finally Pilate handed him over to them to be crucified.” To prepare well for our study, read John 18 and 19.
This weekend, we’ll meet up with one of Jesus’ best known followers. His name is Peter and we will meet him in one of the most painfully real, yet powerfully life-changing experiences of his life. It’s an experience you may have had, or may yet have, as you follow Jesus. It’s an experience that someone you know and love is having even now.
When you discover how Jesus ultimately responded to Peter in this painful experience, you can’t help but say, “What a Savior!” Without a doubt, Jesus’ unconditional love and grace is on display in Peter’s life. It is the same love and grace that Jesus has for every one of us!
His is a tragic story, and the lessons from his life are sobering. His betrayal of Jesus in the 24 hours leading up to the cross was not an isolated incident. It followed in a long line of sinful choices made by Judas that gave the devil full access to his life. It is indeed a dark tragedy, yet through the darkness, the light of Christ shines brightly. We see the light of Jesus’ unconditional love and grace. To fully appreciate this light, you need to fully experience the darkness of Judas’ betrayal. Join your GCC family this weekend as we unpack the story of Judas Iscariot beginning with John 13:18-30, and gaze at the beauty of God’s patient love toward us.
This weekend we begin a series of messages that focus on the 24 hours leading up to Jesus’ death on the cross. We will follow Him to the cross and, as we do, we will learn the true meaning of UNCONDITIONAL. Unconditional care. Unconditional compassion. Unconditional service. Unconditional giving. Unconditional kindness. Unconditional forgiveness. Unconditional obedience. Unconditional surrender. UNCONDITIONAL LOVE. Join your GCC family this weekend as we look at what Jesus meant when, in John 13:1-17, he called on his followers to wash one another’s feet. You may be surprised by the powerful truth that flows out of this simple command! I look forward to growing with you this weekend.
We wrap up a six-part series called First Things First this weekend. Over the past five weekends, we have said GCC holds to preaching God's authoritative, inerrant, and infallible Word. That prayer is an essential part of the life and ministry of GCC. We hold to celebratory worship, reaching the next generation, and grace in our relationships. GCC is not called “Judgment Community Church!” It is called ‘Grace Community Church,” and for good reason.
Join us this weekend as we conclude our series by giving a biblical perspective on compassion. According to Matthew 20:29-34 and many other passages, compassion is not passive but is our love in action, which is why GCC is committed to demonstrating compassion for hurting people in a broken world.
When we look at people, we see them as they are right now and possibly remembering who they were in the past. But do we see who they can become by choosing to follow Jesus? Do we have vision for lives changed by Christ?
Join your GCC family this weekend as we dig into John 4 and notice that Jesus had a different vision than his followers, and he took action to correct their vision. Open your eyes to the people around you who need Jesus!
Early 20th century devotional writer J. Oswald Sanders wisely noted, “There is always one fact more in every life of which we know nothing, therefore Jesus says, "Judge not." Yet that is precisely what we too often do. Too often, we judge men and women without having all the facts. We assume we know it all when, in truth, our judgments show how very little we know and how very little we care. It is one of the many reasons that God tells us to keep a tight rein on our tongues!Since the first weekend of 2024, we have been putting FIRST THINGS FIRST as we’ve studied Scripture together. This weekend, we will be challenged to live lives that are full of grace and free of judgment in obedience to God’s Word to us in Luke 6:37-38, 41-42. We look forward to sharing these truths with you!.
We continue our First Things First series this weekend as we look at our third core value: We are committed to leading children, youth, and young adults into a growing relationship with Jesus. Join us as we study Mark 10:13-16 together and reflect on the powerful truths of that verse. Together, we can remove the hindrances that keep children, youth, and young adults from Jesus. We can and should invest in the present and future of the church!
Grace Community Church is where faithful, fervent, and intentional prayer is woven into daily life and ministries. Don’t be surprised when a pastor meets with you that we pray. Don’t be shocked when we start a meeting; we pray. In Church, we pray. Over food, we pray. Before ministry begins, worship starts, and even funerals and weddings, we pray. Don’t be surprised if we pray over you in the hospital, at hospice, or in your home. Prayer is woven into the life of this Church, and we want prayer to be incorporated into your life. This weekend, as we continue our series First Things First, is a call for everyone to make prayer a part of their daily lives. Join us as we look at Matthew 7:7-11 and see why we should all set aside time each day to converse with God.
If you want to grow as a follower of Jesus Christ, you need to make certain practices a priority in your life. You need to put FIRST THINGS FIRST, and the very first of those practices is the study of God’s Word. The first value of Grace Community Church is Biblical, life changing truth in preaching, teaching and worship. We are a Bible believing, Bible teaching, Bible preaching church. We don’t worship the Bible; we worship the one true and living God – Father, Son and Holy Spirit. But we do believe the Bible is God’s Word from Genesis 1:1 to Revelation 22:21. God’s Word is essential to our daily lives; it gives us abundant life. That’s what Jesus teaches us in Matthew 4:4 when, tempted by the devil to satisfy his hunger by turning stones into bread, Jesus answered the devil by quoting Deuteronomy 8:3 – “It is written: Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.” Just as we need a daily diet of good foods to be physically healthy, we need a daily diet of God’s good Word to be spiritually, emotionally, and relationally healthy. Simply put, THIS BOOK has the power to change you!
The Christmas story often captures our imagination because it is when the majestic and mundane collide. This weekend, we continue our sermon series, The Journey, as we journey with shepherds. Ordinary, average, and at best mundane, in Luke 2, we find shepherds not in a palace but “living out” in a pasture. Then, out of nowhere, the majestic and the mundane collide. First, an angel appears, then a host of angels, and then the shepherd encounters Jesus Himself. On three occasions, the shepherds collide with majesty. And, yet, they don’t keep what they have experienced to themselves. They tell others.
Join us this weekend as we see three responses to what the shepherds share found in Luke 2.
Do you trust God? Most Christians would give a mighty roar of positive approval to this question. Yes, we trust God. Well then, get in! Jump into God’s will for your life. Surrender yourself wholly and completely to his plans. Follow God with total abandon. Do exactly what He asks you to do and do it without delay!
Join me and your GCC family this week as we enter into the lives of Jesus’ parents and learn what it means to trust God – unflagging, unconditional, unreserved trust in God.
A large majority of Americans believe in the existence of angels! Christian or not, angels have captivated our imaginations. That said, what exactly do we believe about angels? What do you believe about angels? Join your GCC family this week as we continue THE JOURNEY to the birth of Jesus by taking a deeper look at what God says about angels. It has been a wonderful study in God’s Word and I’m excited to share it with you!#thejourney #advent #christmas
We begin this weekend with a man named John the Baptist. John the Baptist was a messenger of God who prepared the way for Jesus Christ who was the Messiah of God. Luke 1:5-25 records the foretelling of his birth and the story is fascinating. Read it. Pay attention to the details as you read it. Then, come to GCC this weekend and be prepared to begin getting your heart ready for Christmas!
As Thanksgiving approaches, it's common for us to reflect on what we're thankful for. But this year, let's delve deeper. Join us this weekend as will explore profound questions about faith, gratitude, and our relationship with God.Is He Worthy?We'll dive into Psalm 96 and ask ourselves if we truly believe in God's goodness and worthiness of praise. Do our lives reflect this belief?Are You Welcome?Scripture tells us that everyone is welcome at God's table. Let's understand how this love can transform the way we live and share our faith.Is Judgment Good?Often, we fear judgment, but if we trust in a good Judge, this fear transforms into hope. We'll explore how this perspective can change our understanding of justice and righteousness.This sermon isn't just about giving thanks; it's about understanding the core of our faith and how it shapes our lives. Don't miss this opportunity to deepen your spiritual journey and find answers that resonate beyond the holiday season.
It can be said that without the Holy Spirit, there would be no “missions”. The great missionary movements of the early church were commanded and appointed by the Spirit of God. The energy behind the missionary work of the church was and still is today, from the power of the Holy Spirit. Jesus himself, promised this would happen when he said in Acts 1:8, “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you, and you will be my witnesses”….. The disciples had Holy Spirit power then, and believers today have that same power to witness or proclaim the message of the risen Christ. Let’s pray for another great missionary movement that is empowered and driven by the Holy Spirit.
Which way should I go? In Acts 16, Paul is stopped from going southwest by the Holy Spirit and blocked from going north by the Spirit of Jesus until finally permitted to go northwest. A. T. Pierson, in his The Acts of the Holy Spirit, says sometimes, we are “forbidden in one direction, invited in another…”. Pierson gave later examples from the history of missionaries: Adoniram Judson (1788-1850) went to India first but was driven on to Burma. William Carey (1761 – 1834) planned to go to Polynesia, but God guided him to India. David Livingstone (1813-1873) tried to go to China, but God sent him to Africa. So, we need to trust the Holy Spirit for direction and rejoice equally in his restrictions; only then will we know which way to go!
This passage demonstrates an amazing way in which the Holy Spirit works in the lives of believers. Those who seek to be sensitive to the Holy Spirit often ask to be shown who in their life God is leading them to seek out. But here, we see the Holy Spirit bringing three men directly to Peter.
When considering how God may be moving in your life, be careful to consider who He has recently brought into your life. It may be that the person God wants you to reach out to is already reaching out to you.
Phillip’s exit from a thriving revival to encounter one Ethiopian seeker in Acts 8 must have seemed bizarre. Yet Phillip obeyed God’s prompting. In that divine appointment, the eunuch discovered Jesus. God sees people exactly where they are. What might come from radical obedience to that odd divine nudge you can’t shake? The Spirit may seem to lead you away from fruitful work. But God may want to reach one waiting heart through your availability. Like Phillip, obey even when it makes no sense. Sacrifice a comfortable strategy for radical obedience. You could meet a divinely arranged Ethiopian seeking truth today. Be ready to leave the familiar path to follow God’s unexpected lead.
This verse gives us two practices that help determine the Lord’s will.
First: worship. Worship is not for God’s benefit… He knows how good and powerful He is. Instead, it is for our benefit! We easily forget how good and powerful God is; thus, we often forget who God is. If we don’t know who our God is, how can we discern His will for our lives?
Second: fast. When we think of fasting, we often think of fasting from food, but that is not the only item that we can fast from. Are you trying to discern the Lord’s will for your life? Have you tried fasting from the item that distracts you most from the Lord?
Over the past several weeks, we have been studying the Holy Spirit over the past several weeks. We have looked at how the Holy Spirit is the third person of the Godhead. He is the believer’s advocate, helper, counselor, guide, light in the darkness, and prayer warrior, and this weekend, we will discover how the Holy Spirit empowers Christians for ministry.
Let’s be honest! As much as we love the idea of prayer, prayer can be hard work. That’s true when we don’t know what to pray, or when God’s will is a mystery to us. And it is especially true when we are weak, wrung out by whatever decision or distress or difficulty is dominating our lives. I would guess that most of us, if not all of us, have been in that place sometime in life. We are tempted to shut down, give up, just walk away from prayer, but the message of Romans 8:26-27 calls us to PRESS ON IN PRAYER even when prayer is harder than we ever expected.Join your GCC family this weekend as we continue to discover the works of the Holy Spirit. As we study Romans 8:26-27, we will be greatly encouraged by the way the Spirit helps us pray!
Join us as we explore the person and work of the Holy Spirit, the third person of the Trinity. Our pastors will guide us through Scripture to understand how the Spirit reveals God's truth, empowers us for godly living, and connects us to one another in Christian fellowship. As we dive deeper into the doctrine of the Holy Spirit, these devotions will encourage your faith.
Apologies for the delay on these
Join us as we explore the person and work of the Holy Spirit, the third person of the Trinity. Our pastors will guide us through Scripture to understand how the Spirit reveals God's truth, empowers us for godly living, and connects us to one another in Christian fellowship. As we dive deeper into the doctrine of the Holy Spirit, these devotions will encourage your faith.
Inside of every one of us – our minds and our hearts – there is a battlefield – a place where battles have been fought in the past and continue to be fought. It is a battle between our sinful nature and the Holy Spirit; battles between who we are by our natural birth and who we are becoming by our new birth in Jesus Christ. We’ll unpack that truth as we study together Galatians 5:16-25 this weekend. And in the midst of our study, we will learn about another powerful work of the Holy Spirit in our lives – the fruit of the Spirit.
“Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!” That’s how the apostle Paul celebrates the grace God gives us when Jesus saves us, forgiving our sin and giving us new and eternal lives. But God’s gift giving doesn’t stop there. Once we are saved, and the Holy Spirit lives in us, God continues to give us gifts of grace – gifts that we don’t deserve but that he desires for us to have. In the Bible, God calls these gifts SPIRITUAL GIFTS, and spiritual gifts are one of the works of the Holy Spirit in our lives. Join your GCC family this weekend as we focus on 1 Corinthians 12:1-11 and unwrap the gifts of the Spirit.
Join us each day this week as we explore the person and work of the Holy Spirit, the third person of the Trinity. Our pastors will guide us through Scripture to understand how the Spirit reveals God's truth, empowers us for godly living, and connects us to one another in Christian fellowship. As we dive deeper into the doctrine of the Holy Spirit, these devotions will encourage your faith.
Join us each day this week as we explore the person and work of the Holy Spirit, the third person of the Trinity. Our pastors will guide us through Scripture to understand how the Spirit reveals God's truth, empowers us for godly living, and connects us to one another in Christian fellowship. As we dive deeper into the doctrine of the Holy Spirit, these devotions will encourage your faith.
Join us each day this week as we explore the person and work of the Holy Spirit, the third person of the Trinity. Our pastors will guide us through Scripture to understand how the Spirit reveals God's truth, empowers us for godly living, and connects us to one another in Christian fellowship. As we dive deeper into the doctrine of the Holy Spirit, these devotions will encourage your faith.
Join us each day this week as we explore the person and work of the Holy Spirit, the third person of the Trinity. Our pastors will guide us through Scripture to understand how the Spirit reveals God's truth, empowers us for godly living, and connects us to one another in Christian fellowship. As we dive deeper into the doctrine of the Holy Spirit, these devotions will encourage your faith.
Join us each day this week as we explore the person and work of the Holy Spirit, the third person of the Trinity. Our pastors will guide us through Scripture to understand how the Spirit reveals God's truth, empowers us for godly living, and connects us to one another in Christian fellowship. As we dive deeper into the doctrine of the Holy Spirit, these devotions will encourage your faith.
Join us each day this week as we explore the person and work of the Holy Spirit, the third person of the Trinity. Our pastors will guide us through Scripture to understand how the Spirit reveals God's truth, empowers us for godly living, and connects us to one another in Christian fellowship. As we dive deeper into the doctrine of the Holy Spirit, these devotions will encourage your faith.
We give our conscience too much credit! Does our conscience really “bother us”? Is it our conscience that tells us what is right and what is wrong in life? Not at all. It is the Holy Spirit at work in us, convicting us with regard to the “rights and wrongs” of life. The Spirit is the One who bothers us when we need to be bothered. He is the One who keeps us up all night, or gives us peace and calmness within. He reminds us when an action is wrong, and He contends for the right way and right response. Such activity on the part of the Holy Spirit is what the Scriptures call the convicting power of the Holy Spirit, and His convicting power is clearly and forcefully taught in John 16:8-11.
Join your GCC family this weekend as we learn more about how the Holy Spirit tells us the truth we need to be guided in our lives! I look forward to sharing this truth with you.
Join us each day this week as we explore the person and work of the Holy Spirit, the third person of the Trinity. Our pastors will guide us through Scripture to understand how the Spirit reveals God's truth, empowers us for godly living, and connects us to one another in Christian fellowship. As we dive deeper into the doctrine of the Holy Spirit, these devotions will encourage your faith.
Join us each day this week as we explore the person and work of the Holy Spirit, the third person of the Trinity. Our pastors will guide us through Scripture to understand how the Spirit reveals God's truth, empowers us for godly living, and connects us to one another in Christian fellowship. As we dive deeper into the doctrine of the Holy Spirit, these devotions will encourage your faith.
Join us each day this week as we explore the person and work of the Holy Spirit, the third person of the Trinity. Our pastors will guide us through Scripture to understand how the Spirit reveals God's truth, empowers us for godly living, and connects us to one another in Christian fellowship. As we dive deeper into the doctrine of the Holy Spirit, these devotions will encourage your faith.
Join us each day this week as we explore the person and work of the Holy Spirit, the third person of the Trinity. Our pastors will guide us through Scripture to understand how the Spirit reveals God's truth, empowers us for godly living, and connects us to one another in Christian fellowship. As we dive deeper into the doctrine of the Holy Spirit, these devotions will encourage your faith.
Join us each day this week as we explore the person and work of the Holy Spirit, the third person of the Trinity. Our pastors will guide us through Scripture to understand how the Spirit reveals God's truth, empowers us for godly living, and connects us to one another in Christian fellowship. As we dive deeper into the doctrine of the Holy Spirit, these devotions will encourage your faith.
Join us each day this week as we explore the person and work of the Holy Spirit, the third person of the Trinity. Our pastors will guide us through Scripture to understand how the Spirit reveals God's truth, empowers us for godly living, and connects us to one another in Christian fellowship. As we dive deeper into the doctrine of the Holy Spirit, these devotions will encourage your faith.
This weekend, we continue our series on the Holy Spirit. Just consider how Jesus walked on water. How did he feed five thousand with five loaves and two fish? How did He cast out demons, heal the sick, give sight to the blind, and even raise Lazarus from the dead?Unless we have been carefully taught, many would quickly say, “Because He is God!” And He truly is God. But is that how the New Testament answers these questions? We might say that Jesus’s miracles show He is God, but how Jesus performed these wonders is not as simple as we may assume.
Join us as we examine several Scriptures that answer the question: Why did Jesus need the Holy Spirit?
Join us each day this week as we explore the person and work of the Holy Spirit, the third person of the Trinity. Our pastors will guide us through Scripture to understand how the Spirit reveals God's truth, empowers us for godly living, and connects us to one another in Christian fellowship. As we dive deeper into the doctrine of the Holy Spirit, these devotions will encourage your faith.
Join us each day this week as we explore the person and work of the Holy Spirit, the third person of the Trinity. Our pastors will guide us through Scripture to understand how the Spirit reveals God's truth, empowers us for godly living, and connects us to one another in Christian fellowship. As we dive deeper into the doctrine of the Holy Spirit, these devotions will encourage your faith.
Join us each day this week as we explore the person and work of the Holy Spirit, the third person of the Trinity. Our pastors will guide us through Scripture to understand how the Spirit reveals God's truth, empowers us for godly living, and connects us to one another in Christian fellowship. As we dive deeper into the doctrine of the Holy Spirit, these devotions will encourage your faith.
Join us each day this week as we explore the person and work of the Holy Spirit, the third person of the Trinity. Our pastors will guide us through Scripture to understand how the Spirit reveals God's truth, empowers us for godly living, and connects us to one another in Christian fellowship. As we dive deeper into the doctrine of the Holy Spirit, these devotions will encourage your faith.
Join us each day this week as we explore the person and work of the Holy Spirit, the third person of the Trinity. Our pastors will guide us through Scripture to understand how the Spirit reveals God's truth, empowers us for godly living, and connects us to one another in Christian fellowship. As we dive deeper into the doctrine of the Holy Spirit, these devotions will encourage your faith.
Join us each day this week as we explore the person and work of the Holy Spirit, the third person of the Trinity. Our pastors will guide us through Scripture to understand how the Spirit reveals God's truth, empowers us for godly living, and connects us to one another in Christian fellowship. As we dive deeper into the doctrine of the Holy Spirit, these devotions will encourage your faith.
We are in part two of our sermon series on the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is the third person of the Godhead, best understood as He is described in the Bible. Throughout the Bible, one of His roles is to transform darkness into light and where there is death to give life. His work directly impacts your life because He can transform us. Join us this weekend as we explore the Holy Spirit’s work in the Old Testament to bring life and light and pave the way for Jesus.
Join us each day this week as we explore the person and work of the Holy Spirit, the third person of the Trinity. Our pastors will guide us through Scripture to understand how the Spirit reveals God's truth, empowers us for godly living, and connects us to one another in Christian fellowship. As we dive deeper into the doctrine of the Holy Spirit, these devotions will encourage your faith.
Join us each day this week as we explore the person and work of the Holy Spirit, the third person of the Trinity. Our pastors will guide us through Scripture to understand how the Spirit reveals God's truth, empowers us for godly living, and connects us to one another in Christian fellowship. As we dive deeper into the doctrine of the Holy Spirit, these devotions will encourage your faith.
Join us each day this week as we explore the person and work of the Holy Spirit, the third person of the Trinity. Our pastors will guide us through Scripture to understand how the Spirit reveals God's truth, empowers us for godly living, and connects us to one another in Christian fellowship. As we dive deeper into the doctrine of the Holy Spirit, these devotions will encourage your faith.
Join us each day this week as we explore the person and work of the Holy Spirit, the third person of the Trinity. Our pastors will guide us through Scripture to understand how the Spirit reveals God's truth, empowers us for godly living, and connects us to one another in Christian fellowship. As we dive deeper into the doctrine of the Holy Spirit, these devotions will encourage your faith.
Join us each day this week as we explore the person and work of the Holy Spirit, the third person of the Trinity. Our pastors will guide us through Scripture to understand how the Spirit reveals God's truth, empowers us for godly living, and connects us to one another in Christian fellowship. As we dive deeper into the doctrine of the Holy Spirit, these devotions will encourage your faith.
Join us each day this week as we explore the person and work of the Holy Spirit, the third person of the Trinity. Our pastors will guide us through Scripture to understand how the Spirit reveals God's truth, empowers us for godly living, and connects us to one another in Christian fellowship. As we dive deeper into the doctrine of the Holy Spirit, these devotions will encourage your faith.
This weekend, we begin a new sermon series which will focus on one person – the person of the Holy Spirit. Who is the Holy Spirit? What work does He do in our lives, in our church, and in the world? The Holy Spirit will occupy our time and thoughts for the next eight weekends, and well He should. He is the third person of the Trinity. He is God at work within every follower of Jesus Christ. The Holy Spirit plays a major role in the salvation of those who believe in the Lord Jesus Christ. He lives in us! Make worship a priority this fall as we get to know the Holy Spirit. I look forward to launching this series from John 14:15-17.
As we bring our summer-long study in Ephesians to a close this weekend, we fast forward thirty years from when the apostle Paul wrote Ephesians to when the apostle John wrote Revelation. Revelation is a fascinating Biblical book for many reasons, not the least of which is Jesus’ pointed observations of seven prominent first century churches. Jesus’ observations are in the form of seven letters contained in Revelation 2 and 3. Each letter is a personal letter from Jesus in which he both commends and corrects the behavior of each church. He begins with the church at Ephesus because it was the most prominent of the seven churches.
At the time Paul wrote Ephesians, the church in Ephesus was newly planted and full of first generation Christians. By the time Jesus dictated to John what we call Revelation 2:1-7, the church was 30 years old and there was a second generation of Christians. With that in mind, join the GCC family this weekend as we learn what pleases Jesus, and doesn’t please him, when he looks at a church.
Join us this weekend as we conclude our summer long study in Ephesians. It will be a powerful conclusion to a life-changing Word from God. As we dig into Ephesians 6:10-24, we will learn how to wage and win a spiritual battle. We all face them. They are the battles that take place under the visible surfaces of our lives. They are the battles waged against the devil and the forces of evil, which are very real in the world. However, we must remember that greater is He who is in us than he who is in the world. We do not have to give in or be overcome by the devil. We can win those battles, and the Apostle Paul tells us how! I look forward to sharing this truth with you!
From this sermon on Ephesians 5, Pastor Paul leads us through some difficult concepts in the Scripture
Are you converted? That’s a question seldom asked when talking about the Christian life, but it’s a good question. When you come to know and follow Jesus as Savior and Lord of your life, your identity changes. Conversion takes place. “You were once darkness…now you are light,” Paul wrote in Ephesians 5:8. Paul reminds the Ephesians who they were before Jesus changed them; he reminds us of the same truth. Our very identity is that we are LIGHT IN THE LORD in this dark world. As such, Jesus also said in Matthew 5, “Let your light shine.” How do we let our light shine? By how we live our lives. Paul goes on in verses 9-21 to teach us how our behavior should conform to our new identity. He describes what a life lived in the light of Christ looks like. I look forward to exploring these truths with you this weekend as we worship together at GCC!
As we continue our study in the New Testament letter to the Ephesians, the Apostle Paul continues his pointed and practical instruction on what the daily life of a Christian should be. Read Ephesians 5:1-7 as you prepare to worship this weekend. Clearly, we are called to imitate God as His dearly loved children. IMITATE GOD! What does that mean? In our culture, imitations can have a negative connotation. An imitation or imitator can be a counterfeit or a second-rate copy of the original. Not so with the Biblical command to imitate God. To imitate God is to make every effort to be just like God – to take on His character. I look forward to digging deep into God’s Word and learning with you HOW TO IMITATE GOD!
Whenever you encounter a “therefore” in the Bible, you should ask, What is it there for? The “therefore” in Ephesians 4:25 is intended by God to be a bridge to a very practical description of what the daily life of a Christian should be. Putting off the old self and putting on the new self affects every area of life, and in Ephesians 4:25-32 Paul gets right to the point. He calls us to reject hypocrisy and live consistently faithful lives in Christ. He calls us to put off the behavior that destroys relationships and put on the behavior that builds up relationships. He calls us, as he so powerfully stated in Ephesians 4:24, “to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.” Join me and your GCC family this weekend as we continue our study in Ephesians!
You’ve heard it before DRESS FOR SUCCESS. Whether you are going golfing, to a nice restaurant, work, have a job interview, or even to school. Certain people in certain environments expect certain clothing. Matter-of-fact, if you aren’t wearing certain apparel for certain places, you won’t be allowed in. Would it shock you if I told you how you dress matters to God? Not in how man thinks, but in another way!
A few weeks ago, we began a sermon series on Ephesians. Ephesians helps us learn how to take what we know and live it out. In Ephesians, Paul demonstrates how our doctrine shapes our duty and our beliefs impact our behavior. In this book, Paul makes the point that we should walk worthy for Christ because we were made worthy in Christ. So, it matters how we dress on the inside.
What do you look for in a church? Now, let me rephrase that question and ask, What does God look for in a church? Read His Word and you’ll find that when God looks at a church, His concern is for the foundation of the church. God inspects the foundation of a church to ensure that it is a solid, safe church for His family. God wants his children – that’s you and me - to settle in and grow in a church that meets his “church-building” standards. What are those standards? Let’s turn the pages of Ephesians to chapter 4:1-16 this weekend. As we begin the second half of our Ephesians study, we will find that chapters 4-6 are as practical as chapters 1-3 are theological. In these last three chapters, Paul will instruct us on how to practice our faith in our homes and with our families, while at work and among our neighbors, when people can see us and when they can’t and, in Ephesians 4:1-16, in our church and with our family in Christ.
For the last three weeks of our study in Ephesians, we’ve had a front row seat to the Apostle Paul’s bold preaching about our glorious salvation in Christ. We’ve learned that in Christ lives are changed, the Church grows, the Gospel spreads across human barriers and around the world, and Christian community comes to life! And then it seems that Paul takes a breath – possibly even a step back – to bask in the unsearchable riches of Christ. With his mind and heart overflowing with God’s amazing grace, he writes in Ephesians 3:14, “For this reason I kneel….” Paul’s change of posture is the first indication that Paul has stopped preaching and has started praying.
Join your GCC family as we learn how to pray from Paul’s great prayer in Ephesians 3:14-21.
"Join your GCC family this week as we turn the page to Ephesians 3:1-13 and discover the gift of ACCESS! God invites us to have personal, full and free access to Him. He invites us into a personal relationship and he welcomes us into daily conversation. We can boldly approach him with our cares and humbly confess to Him our sins. And someday, he will welcome us into Heaven. All of these “gifts of access” are part of the glorious salvation we have in Christ. God calls them the unsearchable riches in Christ. I look forward to exploring some of those riches with you this weekend." - Mike Sigman, Lead Pastor
Last weekend, Pastor Paul preached a clear, concise and powerful message of salvation from Ephesians 2:1-10. By nature, we are prone to wander away from God because of our sin, BUT GOD wakes us up and graciously draws us to Himself. We become God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works. “Therefore, REMEMBER…” That’s how the Apostle Paul transitions from the first half of chapter two to the second half. “Therefore” refers back to the first 10 verses. Paul is saying, “In light of the fact that you have been saved by grace through faith in Jesus Christ, you must REMEMBER who you were, who you are now, and how God changed you. Join the GCC family this weekend as we dive into Ephesians 2:11-22 and discover the life-changing power of the blood of Jesus. Then, we will REMEMBER as we celebrate the Lord’s Supper. If you are worshipping online at GCC Anywhere this weekend, be sure to prepare bread and cup in advance as we share in the Lord's Supper together.
It has been said, "Christianity begins not with a big DO, but with a big DONE." Christianity doesn’t begin with us; it starts with Jesus. Sometime between 60-61AD, a letter was written by a man named Paul from a prison cell. This letter outlines the finished work of Jesus. Over the past three weeks, we have explored Paul’s words, and this weekend, we will be in Ephesians 2:1-10. Pastor Skip Heitzig said Ephesians 2:1-10 could be summed up in four words… Wander – Wake – Wait – Work: our wandering from God; our waking by God; our watching for God; and finally, our working with God. Join us this weekend as we see how God made us alive in Jesus. Prepare for this weekend's message by reading Ephesians 2:1-10.
This Father’s Day weekend, we continue our sermon series through the letter of Ephesians by looking at one of Paul’s two prayers. He is in prison in Rome and hasn’t been seen by the Ephesians for at least six years. Yet, in Ephesians 1:15-23, the Church finds its founding pastor on his knees. After a powerful introduction where Paul listed nearly all the blessings found in Christ, Paul stops and prays. He prays that the Ephesians would receive revelation from God to know all they have in Christ. It’s one thing to receive a gift; it’s another to appreciate it! In Ephesians, 1:15-23 Paul teaches us the importance of prayer in the Christian life. F. B. Meyer once said, “The greatest tragedy of life is not unanswered prayer, but unoffered prayer.” Why pray? Why pray in prison? Why pray for others when you aren’t doing so well? Why pray for others when it would be tempting to only pray for yourself? This weekend, we learn why Paul prayed and why an offered prayer is better than no prayer.
Join your GCC family this weekend as we continue to study the incredible letter to which we were introduced last weekend – Paul’s letter to the Ephesians. We learned that the Apostle Paul wrote this letter to Christians who were living in a culture of unbridled materialism and rampant immorality where money, sex and power dominated life. But while they lived in Ephesus, they also lived in Christ. They were saved and set apart to live faithful lives in Christ. So, after greeting the Ephesian believers, Paul summons them to all-out praise toward God because God deserves their praise and our praise. Why? Because of what He’s done for us in Christ. This call to all-out praise is found in Ephesians 1:3-14 and, in these verses, we will make some exciting discoveries!
This weekend, we begin a new summer-long sermon series that will take us through the New Testament letter to the Ephesians. The Apostle Paul wrote this letter while he was in prison in Rome for preaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ. He wrote to a church that he knew quite well. Eight years earlier, he planted the church in Ephesus. He spent three years there helping them begin their journey of faith and guiding them in that journey. Then, in the closing years of his life and ministry, Paul wrote to the Ephesians. It is a letter that one author called “the Grand Canyon of Scripture” – breathtakingly beautiful and utterly inexhaustible. Read it once, read it again, read it over and over again, and you will always find truth to feed your soul. I would encourage you to read it! We’ll begin the series this weekend as we unlock the many riches of Ephesians 1:1-2. I’m excited to share these truths with you.
Is your Bible alive? It’s supposed to be. Yes, we receive the Word of God through printed letters on paper, but it is more than that. Jesus is called the Word of God, and we know that Jesus is not dead, but lives forever, so we can also say that the Word lives forever.This weekend, we conclude our sermon series entitled STORIES OF HIS POWER by considering a dynamic movement of God that has been recorded for us in 2 Chronicles 34. 2 Chronicles 34 records a time when the Word of God was lost from one generation to another – hidden away, waiting to be revealed until such a time as God would see fit bringing about a nation-wide revival. Today, we will discover how the Word of God is alive!
Life can be hard at times, and for a variety of reasons. Sometimes the circumstances that make life hard are beyond our control and sometimes they are of our own making. Sometimes those circumstances come out of nowhere. We feel like we’ve been ambushed by the enemies of hardship or suffering. When that happens, where do you turn? The next fascinating story of God’s power is found in 2 Chronicles 20. It comes from the life of one of ancient Israel’s kings – a man named Jehoshaphat. It is a model story in that it perfectly models how a follower of God should face the hardships of life – by praising God. Join your GCC family this weekend as we learn about the power of praising God.
Let’s unpack the next “Story of His Power” as we explore a wonderful story in 2 Kings 4:1-7. On the surface, we see God at work in three ways in this story. We see a miracle of God by which God powerfully fills a whole lot of jars with a little bit of oil. We also see God’s mercy by which God tenderly cares for the needs of a widow and her two sons. And we see God’s marvelous provision. The widow’s need was great, but her God was greater still! The real life lessons and challenges of this story should convince us that little really is much when God is in it! See you on Mother’s Day at GCC!
How do you handle sin? When you know you are actively sinning against God, how do you handle your sin? As we continue our series in “Stories of His Power,” we’ll discover both the power of confession and the incredible power of God’s grace when we confess our sin to Him.
To fully grasp the dynamics of confession, both what it involves and where it leads, we turn to one of the Bible’s most sobering stories of sin and its consequences. Why not prepare for weekend worship by reading 2 Samuel 11 and 12? Then, take a short trip over to Psalm 51 and listen to David’s conversation with God over the sins recorded in 2 Samuel. I look forward to worshipping with you this weekend.
Welcome to the next story of God’s power – the story of David and Goliath. There are many different ways to preach this story – different themes, different topics, different “big ideas.” The big idea that I want us to discover this weekend is the idea that God wants His people to be people of courage. To understand what that means and what that looks like, take time to read the story in 1 Samuel 17, and simply observe what’s happening with the people of God – that is, the Israelites – and the principal character of the story – that is David. Then come to GCC for one of our weekend services as we unpack this Bible story favorite!
In today's service, we begin our new sermon series, "Stories of His Power." We'll explore how God's power shines through our lives, especially in our weaknesses. Together, we'll study the story of Gideon from Judges 6-8, revealing how God used a weak and feeble Gideon to deliver His people. Prepare for an inspiring and uplifting message that will help you embrace your weaknesses and trust in God's power.
This weekend, we’ll continue our celebration of Jesus’ resurrection and we’ll conclude the sermon series we’ve called “GOD: Learning to Know Him Better.” In this last sermon, we focus on the glory of God. God’s glory is a prominent theme in the Bible. Depending on the Bible translation you use, “glory” can be found in at least 350 verses.
Like God’s greatness, God’s glory is unfathomable to the limitations of the human mind and yet it is also deeply personal and personally encouraging. We will get a glimpse of God’s glory in this sermon, but that glimpse should be enough to overflow your soul if your mind and heart are open. What is God’s glory? To answer that question, we turn to the Old Testament book of Exodus and to a story that you may know, at least in part. Read Exodus 32-34 as you prepare for worship this weekend! Ask God to show you His glory!
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The Scriptures are clear; God is many things; He is jealous, merciful, gracious, loving, and patient. But He is also wise. Why is God wise? Do you know why God is so wise? Is it because of His wise counsel, boundless understanding, infinite knowledge, His creation of the Heavens and the earth, the Church, or something else? This week, we continue our series on GOD by looking at the wisdom of God. And, we will look at what the Apostle Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 1:18-31 as he considered man's wisdom compared to God's.
Join us this weekend for an amazing story about God’s amazing grace. That’s the next truth we learn about God. He is a God of grace, and His grace is powerfully revealed in John 8:1-11. We’ll explore the truths that God’s grace is free of condemnation and full of freedom. And we will return thanks for His grace as we celebrate together the Lord’s Supper.
The next topic in our study of God’s attributes is his mercy. In his classic book The Knowledge of the Holy, mid-20th century pastor and writer A.W. Tozer defines God’s mercy in this way – “Mercy is the goodness of God confronting human suffering and guilt.” Mercy is one of those Biblical words that is filled with meaning. Mercy is filled with kindness, compassion, sympathy, pity, and love. God is rich in mercy and He expects us to be rich in mercy, too. Join your GCC family this week as we are humbled by God’s mercy and challenged to extend our mercy even to those who we think least deserve it!
Our God is a just God. In His justice, He will give people what they are due whether punishment, or protection and care. Join your GCC family as we begin with Jesus in the temple in Matthew 21:12-13 to discover what God’s justice means and what it looks like in real time! Our God is the Judge, but He is also the Restorer. Judgment and restoration are two sides of His justice. We will focus on the restoring justice of God and how He wants us to act justly in this world of broken, hurting people. It’s all about helping people know and follow Jesus.
In church, we say, “God is good… all the time. And, all the time… God is good.” At the dinner table, children pray, “God is great. God is good. Let us thank Him for our food, Amen”. Yet, we often misuse the word “good” for everything that makes us feel good. And take credit from the good God for the good things we enjoy. That’s why the Scriptures call us to see all good things come from God. Psalm 119:68 redirects declare, “You are good, and what you do is good.” James 1:17 says, “Every good and perfect gift is from above...” Join us this weekend as we remind ourselves of the goodness of God.
What did your parents teach you about jealousy? My parents told me that jealousy is “no way to be” followed up with “you should be happy with what you have and not want what others have.” You can imagine my surprise when I first learned that our God is a jealous God. The One true, living, holy and loving God is also a jealous God. Certainly, God’s jealousy cannot possibly be the same attribute that my parents told me is “no way to be,” could it? And the answer is, “No, the jealousy of God is, like every other attribute of God, HOLY!” God’s jealousy is set apart from the jealousy of this world. God’s jealousy is actually a supreme expression of God’s love. I look forward to exploring this truth about God with you this weekend as we dig into Exodus 20:4-5 and several other Scripture passages. We’ll not only learn what arouses God’s jealousy, but we’ll be challenged to be as zealous as God is jealous!
That’s one of the principal themes of 1 John 4:7-21. This passage can be studied from several different perspectives, each of them tagged to the necessity and centrality of God’s love for us and our love for others. Here’s the central truth for our weekend of worship and study together – GOD IS LOVE!
Because He is love, He loves us. Because He loves us, we ought to love others. When we love others, others learn to know God. They come to know and follow Jesus. The hinge point is LOVE.
This week, we continue in our series, GOD, by looking at God’s holiness as it is described throughout the Bible. Yet, there is only one problem, how do we understand holiness? A. W. Tozer, in his book The Knowledge of the Holy, says, “We cannot grasp the true meaning of the divine holiness… We may fear God's power and admire his wisdom, but we cannot even imagine his holiness.” Holy is just a term we use to describe the utter uniqueness of God. To say we really understand His holiness is like suggesting we could hold the sun in our hands and not get burned! Yet, Hebrews 12:14 says, “without holiness, no one will see God.” So, if we can’t ever understand it, how do we at least become it? Join us this week as we get a vision of God’s holiness throughout the Scriptures and God’s plan not to destroy us by His presence but transform us into His likeness.
Of all attributes about God, what stands out the most is His unity. Scripture clearly teaches that God is one. Yet, Scripture also teaches that He is also three distinct persons (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit). How can God be one and also three distinct persons? We call this mystery the Trinity. The belief that God is a Trinity is foundational to Christianity. This means there is only One God in three persons. Understanding the Trinity can be difficult, but what is essential is what the Trinity teaches us about how to live with others and God. Join us this weekend as we launch a new series on God. This weekend we will study the unity of God described in Mark 1:9-13.
WHAT’S WRONG WITH JONAH?! Just when you think the prophet is back on track and in the good graces of a Great God, he makes another left hand turn down the path of arrogance and self-centeredness. Read Jonah 4 and join your GCC family this week as we explore the surprising conclusion to the story of Jonah. We’ll take a look into Jonah’s heart and we’ll learn even more about the heart of God. It has been a rich study for me and I look forward to sharing it with you!
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We are discovering that the story of Jonah is more than a story of a great fish. It is the story of a GREAT GOD. In his disobedience to God, Jonah learned that GOD HEARS US when we cry out to Him. He discovered that GOD CARES ABOUT US when we get ourselves in tight spots in life. He experienced GOD’S RESCUE in the most dramatic of ways - “And the Lord commanded the fish, and it vomited Jonah onto dry land.” That’s where we left Jonah last week – on dry land after a harrowing experience in a raging storm and a whale’s belly. What happens next is nothing short of miraculous. Join your GCC family this week as we unpack Jonah 3.
In this sermon, Pastor Mike explores the story of Jonah and the call of God on his life. Through this timeless tale, we learn about the importance of embracing and fulfilling our own divine calling. Whether you're feeling called to ministry, missions, or another path, this message will encourage you to take bold steps forward in obedience to God. Plus, you'll learn how to pray for and support others as they follow their own callings. Don't miss this inspiring message and be sure to share it with others who may need encouragement in facing their own calling
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Join us this Weekend for a powerful message on loving God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength. We'll be exploring the importance of "the greatest commandment" and how it shapes our relationships with God and with others. Start your year with inspiration and encouragement in Christ.
In his pointed, practical and powerful description of love in 1 Corinthians 13, Paul writes, “Love…keeps no record of wrongs.” You will recall from the last two weeks of sermons that this well-known chapter of the Bible was written in the 1st century to a church in the ancient city of Corinth where love was not always in the air! It was written to Christians who were struggling to love one another. They had sinful attitudes that got in the way of the love God wanted them to practice. LOVE KEEPS NO RECORD OF WRONGS.” Now that’s a tall order, which is why I singled it out for a sermon all its own. Love keeps no record of wrongs,, but what does that mean and how do we love that way? The answer is found in a gift of God called forgiveness. Join your GCC family as we discover this gift in Christ and learn to exercise it in love toward others. I look forward to worshipping with you this weekend!
Love came down! That’s the great truth of Christmas. The kindness and love of God appeared in the flesh in a manger in Bethlehem. And His name is JESUS! He is love and He wants us to love like He loves Last week, we learned that love is a choice and an action. The apostle Paul makes that very clear as we dig into 1 Corinthians 13:4-5. What are we choosing to do and to be when we love others? What actions does God expect us to take when we love others? What should love look like in us as we love others? This weekend, let’s look at the first eight practical descriptions of love in verses 4-5. As we study these verses, notice that they perfectly describe the character of Jesus. With that in mind, join me as we learn what love is and how we should practice it so that, through us, the world will experience God’s love in Jesus Christ.
What is love? At Christmas, love is shared, sung, and celebrated worldwide. Yet, what is it? Is it a feeling or an action? A quick internet search says, “love is a feeling of intense affection, a great pleasure, or enjoyment.” It seems simple; love is a feeling according to these definitions. Yet, when we look closely, this love is nothing more than raised emotion.
No, the Scriptures teach us that love is an action. It is the right action with the right attitude toward God and others. Paul said, in 1 Corinthians 16:14, “Let all that you do be done in love.” Or Colossians 3:14 - And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. Or, John 15:13 - Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.
The world we live in is a broken and complex world. Pick up a newspaper, look at a newsfeed, tune into FOX or CNN or WGAL, and you’ll see and hear the stories of a broken world. Frankly, the number and nature of these stories of brokenness can be so overwhelming that we’re tempted to tune them out or turn them off, but don’t do that! Instead, ask this question - What IN THIS BROKEN, HURTING WORLD should we be doing? As followers of Jesus Christ, how can we make a difference in this world? What can we do, as a church, to address the brokenness of people around the corner and around the world?
Join your GCC family this weekend as we step back in time to the first church that was established by the power of the Holy Spirit nearly 2000 years ago. In this “Dear Church,” series, we have learned that Church is designed to be the body of Christ on earth. As a church, we are to be the visible representation of Jesus to the world. Frankly, that’s a tall order! How do we do it? Let’s take a look at the early church as described in Acts 2:42-47. The activities of this “first church” are very similar to the activities of our church, but we want to focus our attention on the atmosphere of the early church. What did it feel like to be part of the church in the year 33 AD, and what does that mean for each of us and our church today?
This weekend, we want to hear what God has to say to His church about pastors – who they are, what they do, and how they do it! It’s the next sermon in the series, Dear Church, and it’s a topic rarely heard in our churches. A sermon about pastors by a pastor! You, the Church, need to know what to expect from your pastors. We, your pastors, need to know what God expects from us. And then there is the community outside the church walls. The community needs examples of good, godly pastors who love Jesus and love others. Join your GCC CHURCH FAMILY as we search the rich truths of 1 Peter 5:1-4 and discover God’s Word for pastors and the people they are privileged to serve. I’m excited to preach this message about a calling I have loved for nearly 40 years.
As we heard last week, GCC comprises many people from many places and backgrounds. And, yet, we are part of the One Church with One Lord! And according to scripture, beyond being responsible for fulfilling Jesus’ great commission (Matthew 28:16-20) and command (Matthew 22:36-40) is an extraordinary calling – to maintain the unity of the body. So, how do we do that? How do we continue to grow as a unified body? In other words, how do we avoid allowing the polarizing attitude of our current culture to influence the Church? In part two of our series called “Dear Church,” we continue to learn who we are and what Jesus wants us to do as His Church. Join us this weekend as we open up Ephesians 4:11-16, where the Apostle Paul helps us maintain unity in a divisive world by focusing on this one truth: unity is a by-product of maturity.
As far as our culture is concerned, the church is a lost cause. Out of step, out of date and out of touch. Fallen preachers and hidden scandals haven’t helped. When you compare the statistics of “professing Christians” in America against declining church attendance, it does appear that “I love Jesus but not the church” is a ‘real thing.’ And that’s not good, for no other reason than it’s not how Jesus sees or understands His Church. Over the next five weekends, we will hear Jesus speak to the Church. We need to hear what He has to say about us. If we listen well and apply what we learn, Jesus will reset our understanding of Church and even deepen our love for Church. The series is entitled “Dear Church,” because each sermon focuses on a truth that Jesus wants the Church to learn – truths about who we are and what He wants us to do. This weekend, we begin with “Dear Church, You are My Bride!”
Did you know that you have 31,536,000 seconds of time for your personal use every year? That's a lot of time. How are you using it? Better yet, How WELL are you using your time? Ecclesiastes 3 is arguably the best known portion of the entire book of Ecclesiastes because of the way it opens - "There is a time for everything and a season for every activity under heaven." This weekend, we will attempt to unlock the Holy Spirit inspired riches of Ecclesiastes 3:1 - 15 by first remembering that Jesus christ is the Lord of our time. He has a great interest in both how we use it and how well we use it which is why, in his search for life's meaning, Solomon reflects on time. I look forward to a good time of worship and study with you this weekend at GCC.
What do you think about government? Is it good, bad, or ugly? And what is our responsibility as Christians who are also Americans? As we dig into Ecclesiastes 8 to discover the heart of Solomon’s teaching on matters relating to government, you should know that Solomon’s insights are repeated in the New Testament as the apostle Paul grapples with government in Romans 13. As we study, we’ll weave these two texts together to answer the question, why should I obey the government? I assure you this sermon will be free of politics and full of truth – God’s truth about the government and you!
This weekend, my goal is to show you how to please God without being religious! I’ve found Solomon’s insights about religion to be spot on. After having searched for life’s purpose and meaning in everything from humanism to hedonism including work, wisdom and money, Solomon takes a look at religion. Surely, religion will make life worth living, but he quickly discovers that it does not! In fact, it too is meaningless. Join me and your GCC family as we explore the powerful truths of Ecclesiastes 5:1-7
“It’s a mad, mad world!” That’s what Solomon, the writer of Ecclesiastes, discovered as he tried to find meaning and purpose in life without God. Last week, we followed Solomon as he tested life using a humanist worldview – man is the center of the universe! This week, Solomon tests the idea that the ultimate good in life is my pleasure. He wrote in Ecclesiastes 2:10 – “I denied myself nothing my eyes desired; I refused my heart no pleasure.” We will learn that this is HEDONISM and Solomon embraced it with unbridled passion. In the words of Bible scholar Douglas O’Donnell, “Within the house of hedonism, there are many rooms and Solomon tried to sleep in all of them” only to find that life lived for pleasure is meaningless. Please join me this week as we take up a fascinating study in Ecclesiastes 2:1-11. I look forward to sharing this good word with you.
For the next six weeks, we will begin a study in the book of Ecclesiastes called Life in a Mad, Mad, Mad World. This series is not intended to be a chapter-by-chapter examination; instead, we will explore various passages and topics. We hope you will want to continue studying this book for yourself and that this series will serve as a catalyst.
The book of Ecclesiastes records King Solomon's intense search to find meaning and fulfillment in life. In Ecclesiastes 1:1-11, Solomon will search the cycles of life that we all observe, the wind, the water, the generations that come, and the generations that go; he will observe science, history and, in the end, will come to one conclusion, that life under the sun is meaningless. So, how do we find meaning in life?
Join us this weekend as we open a new book, Ecclesiastes, and discover that life without God is meaningless.
As we wrap up this week of celebration and thanksgiving for all that God has done for us as a church since our founding in1995, this weeekend we will be hearing a message from our founding pastor, Wil Martin, as he recounts God’s faithfulness to us as a church and how he has found God to be faithful and good in the days since his stroke in mid-June as the Lord has guided him through these days of struggle and rehabilitation. The services will focus on our corporate gratitude as we return thanks to God for all He has done for us as a church since our humble beginnings in August of 1995. We invite you to offer your prayers of thanksgiving to God and to join us in person or online for the services this weekend.
This weekend, we come to the end of our summer long study in the book of James. We have found James to be an excellent instructor on the subject of MAKING FAITH WORK. With 14 references to faith and 59 references to commands to obey, this book has taught us the relationship between what we believe and how we live it out – from how to handle trials, temptations and conflict to how to avoid favoritism, gossip and hoarding. We’ve learned how to obey God’s Word, seek God’s wisdom, submit to God’s will, and patiently wait for the second coming of God’s Son. And now, as James concludes his letter, he turns our attention to prayer and he teaches us about its place and power in our individual lives and the life of our church. Simply stated, James tells us in James 5:13-20 that come what may in life, we should handle it with prayer! I look forward to teaching these truths as we gather this weekend.
“We’re living in the last days.” As a pastor, people have been saying that to me for nearly 40 years. Whenever there is a significant moral or political shift in culture, and whenever the present seems more evil than the past, the subject of “the last days” surfaces and interest in “the last days” increases among Christians. To that statement, I respond, “I know we are!” especially when you consider what the Bible teaches about the last days. Join me and your GCC family this weekend as we learn how to live in “the last days” from James 5:7-12.
Did you ever take time to really think about the powerful meaning of 1 Timothy 6:10, “For the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil.” Did you notice that money isn’t the problem. Our relationship with money is the problem! How we view it, how we handle it and how we love it is the real issue. That’s the next subject that James tackles as we turn the page to James 5:1-6. As we read and study this passage this weekend, keep in mind that James is not condemning money, or even wealth for that matter. He is condemning the selfish use of money or wealth. Join us at GCC on Saturday or Sunday as we explore these truths and learn how to develop a healthy relationship with our money – a relationship that both pleases God and others including ourselves! I look forward to seeing you this weekend.
What hinders a growing Christian? What causes the faithful to falter? What stops a growing Church? What wrecks an effective pastor? What delays ministry - derails movements – destroys lives? Age? No! Lack of Vision, not always! Resources? No! Preaching? No! It is simply this, PRIDE! Say that with me, PRIDE! Pride delays – derails, and can destroy our lives! Like, comment, & subscribe to stay updated with the latest content!
Do you want peace? Then it is up to you. Someone once said, “To dwell above with the saints I love, that would be glory, to live below with the saints I know, brother, that’s another story.”
James teaches us peace is possible. Peace is possible on earth as it is in heaven. In James 4, we will learn about the source and solution to the conflict. So, join us for worship this weekend as we explore James 4:1-12 and discover the cause and cure for conflict.
Who is wise and understanding among you? That’s a question we ask ourselves more often than we may think. When we are making a significant decision, or we want an objective opinion or helpful counsel about a matter, we seek out wise people. Wise people are people with life experience and they know how to use their experiences to counsel others. Wise people are knowledgeable people, but they are also people who know how to take what they know and apply it to everyday life. So then, who is wise and understanding among us?
Someone once said, “Words are containers for power. You choose what kind of power they carry.” For this reason, God is interested in our words and how we choose to use our words. In HIS Word – the Bible – God addresses the way we use our words. Both Old and New Testaments are filled with truth about the power of our words, our speech, our tongues. This weekend, we turn our attention to James 3:1-12 to learn about the power of the tongue and how to use it both wisely and well! I look forward to sharing this message with you.Like, comment, & subscribe to stay updated with the latest content! CONNECT WITH US: ► Instagram https://www.instagram.com/gccws_gram ► Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/gccws ► Website: http://www.gccws.net OUR RESOURCES: ►Recharge Devotional: http://www.gccws.net/recharge ►Online Church: http://live.gccws.net ►Online Bulletin: http://www.gccws.net/bulletin ►Discipleship Classes: http://www.gccws.net/adults ►Events Coming Up: http://www.gccws.net/events #gccanywhere #gracecommunitychurchofwillowstreet #YouTube #ChurchMinistry #LancasterCounty Like, comment, & subscribe to stay updated with the latest content! CONNECT WITH US: ► Instagram https://www.instagram.com/gccws_gram ► Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/gccws ► Website: http://www.gccws.net OUR RESOURCES: ►Recharge Devotional: http://www.gccws.net/recharge ►Online Church: http://live.gccws.net ►Online Bulletin: http://www.gccws.net/bulletin ►Discipleship Classes: http://www.gccws.net/adults ►Events Coming Up: http://www.gccws.net/events #gccanywhere #gracecommunitychurchofwillowstreet #YouTube #ChurchMinistry #LancasterCounty
You have heard me say over and over again that we can’t do a thing to earn salvation in Christ. Works do not save us; they are not the way to Heaven. Jesus Christ alone is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. We are saved by the grace of God through faith in Jesus Christ. But this doesn’t mean that good works have no place in our Christian life. Good works don’t save us, but they are the evidence that we are saved. James states this truth in his no-nonsense style in James 2:18 when he writes: But someone will say, “You have faith; I have deeds.” Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by my deeds.” True saving faith is complete trust and surrender to Jesus Christ and such faith will always show itself by works. Join me and your GCC family this weekend as we discover how faith works in the lives of Christians. We’ll continue our study in James by turning to James 2:14-26. Every service will conclude with the celebration of the Lord’s Supper.
God does not show favoritism. This is a truth that dates to the very creation of mankind. It is foundational to our faith and central to the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and it even finds prominence in the founding of our own nation. So, it should be no surprise that, as we turn the pages of the book of James to chapter 2, we are confronted with this bold truth presented in James’ no nonsense style: “My brothers, as believers in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ, don’t show favoritism.” Join me and your GCC family this weekend as we unpack the convicting truths of James 2:1-13 and learn what it means to live free from prejudice and full of love.
This weekend we continue in our series MAKING FAITH WORK. A faith that works is a faith that works through trials. It is natural for us to get angry when we face a problem. Yet, as we will learn in James 1:19-27, anger can blur our vision and pollute our mission. So, don’t be deceived; join us this weekend and learn to transform your anger before your anger transforms you.
“We can’t go over them. We can’t go under them. We’ve got to go through them.” When it comes to trials that is ALMOST ALWAYS true – ALMOST. There is one category of life’s trials that can and should be avoided. In fact, we not only don’t want to go through them, we want to run from them. It is the category of temptations – temptations to sin. The temptation to sin is an inward trial of life that we all face and quite often in our daily lives. In fact, the outward trials of life over which we have no control often bring temptations with them. To drive that point home, James carefully and skillfully teaches in James 1:13-18 how temptation works and where it leads, and why we don’t need to go there. I look forward to exploring this truth with you this weekend at GCC!
“We can’t go over it. We can’t go under it. We’ve got to go through it.” So it is with the trials of life. Much as we may want to “go over them” or “under them” to get away from them, we’ve got to “go through them” because, quite simply, that’s the way life works. This weekend, we begin a new series of sermon from the New Testament book of James called Making Faith Work. The first subject James tackles is the subject of trials – the trials of life. You may recall that we explored that very subject three weeks ago as we grappled with suffering in light of eternity. James 1:1-12 is an excellent sequel to that sermon and extremely practical, too. God inspired James to tell us how trials work when you are a follower of Jesus Christ. We’ll learn what role attitude, wisdom and money play in navigating life’s trials. I look forward to exploring God’s truth with you!
First observed on May 30, 1868, Memorial Day commemorated the sacrifices of those who lost their lives during the Civil War. For nearly a century, Memorial Day was known as Decoration Day and expanded beyond its original audience to include those who had fallen in other US conflicts. Then In 1971, Memorial Day became a nationally recognized holiday. This weekend, in all services, GCC will honor the men and women who died while in military service for the United States of America.
“What happens after I die?” This has been the driving question in our five-part sermon series on eternity. Yet, Heaven isn’t just for you! For the Christian, the question is not, “What happens after I die.” Instead, “What happens after they die” - My neighbor, banker, barber, friend, etc.? Join us this weekend as we learn from Acts 1:4-8 how to fill heaven by being a witness for Jesus.
When trials do come, how do you handle them? Do you allow the trials of life to take you down or build you up? Do you give up or grow up, become bitter or become better? The decision is yours. Thankfully, God has much to say to us about life’s trials and our response. This weekend, we’ll focus on what happens when the hope of eternity intersects with the trials of your life. To hear what God has to say, join me in reading 1 Peter 1:3-9. I look forward to worshipping with you at GCC
Welcome to our third week exploring the truth about ETERNITY. Most people, when they hear the word ETERNITY, immediately think FUTURE. Eternity is always and only about our future. But that’s not Biblically true. Your eternal life began the day you decided to follow Jesus. Whether you realize it or not, on that day, you stopped living for the moment and you started living for eternity. On that day, a seismic shift of focus and perspective took place in your life. This world is no longer all that matters to you. Eternity matters and you should live like it. Eternity begins now! Join your GCC family this Mother’s Day weekend as we unpack this next truth about ETERNITY and make some special applications to our families.
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This weekend, we continue our five-part sermon series on ETERNITY. Last week, we looked at what the Bible says what heaven is like. This week we enter into the tough yet tender state of grief. On this side of heaven, we will all come face-to-face with grief. In his book, What Happens After I Die, Michael Rodgers says, “There is a dangerous mindset among many, that Christians in times of grief must maintain a positive, hope-filled façade.” Join us this weekend as we will look at two reasons why grief should not be kept silent. We will cover many Scriptures, but our starting point will be John 11 and Isaiah 53:1-5. Like, comment, & subscribe to stay updated with the latest content! CONNECT WITH US: ► Instagram https://www.instagram.com/gccws_gram► Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/gccws ► Website: http://www.gccws.net OUR RESOURCES: ►Recharge Devotional: http://www.gccws.net/recharge ►Online Church: http://live.gccws.net ►Online Bulletin: http://www.gccws.net/bulletin ►Discipleship Classes: http://www.gccws.net/adults ►Events Coming Up: http://www.gccws.net/events #gccanywhere #gracecommunitychurchofwillowstreet #YouTube #ChurchMinistry #LancasterCounty
This weekend, we begin a five-part sermon series on ETERNITY! It is a fascinating topic that raises the curiosity of Christians and non-Christians alike. Understanding eternity will take the fear out of our future and fill us with what the Bible calls a living and blessed hope. In the course of the next five weeks, we will broadly examine and deeply study the Biblical truths about eternity beginning with this weekend’s sermon on heaven. What will heaven be like? What can we expect and how can we be sure we will get there? Join me and your GCC family as we get a glimpse of heaven.
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Join us for the GREAT CELEBRATION OF JESUS’ RESURRECTION! If you’ve ever experienced an ‘emotional roller coaster’ then you can relate to the ‘emotional ride’ of Mary Magdalene and the other Mary during that first holy week. We’ll follow the two Marys from the cross to the tomb to the first day of the week when they saw the Lord! Read Matthew 27 and 28 as you prepare for worship. Then, come to GCC on Saturday or Sunday to discover, in a new way, THE LIVING HOPE that Jesus alone offers.
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This weekend and on Good Friday, we wrap up our series “Unfiltered Jesus.” In this series, we unpacked several hard sayings of Jesus. Let’s face it, sometimes, what Jesus said was hard to grasp. However, this weekend, we will look not at what Jesus said but rather at something Jesus did that is simply hard to get our minds around. This sermon is called “Grace Like Jesus.” How gracious was Jesus? Just consider, for a span of three and half years, Jesus showed the unmerited and undeserved favor of God to a very undeserving and unfavorable character – his name was Judas. But Judas was not the only one to receive the grace of Jesus. We all do, every day! Join us as we are introduced to the greed of Judas so that we can better understand and pursue grace like Jesus in our lives. Like, comment, & subscribe to stay updated with the latest content!
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The Bible teaches that Jesus Christ “has freed us from our sins by His blood” (Revelation 1:5). “By his blood.” Three simple words that describe the powerful, saving work of Christ accomplished through His death on the cross. Jesus Christ shed his blood on the cross and died to pay the price for our sins. Join your GCC family this week as we learn why His blood is precious, how it cleanses, why it is necessary, and how we can remember! In gratitude, we will celebrate the Lord’s Supper as a church family in all services. Like, comment, & subscribe to stay updated with the latest content!
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In Mark 11:12-25, Jesus curses a Fig tree, upsets tables, bars people from making sacrifices, and casts out the buyers and sellers at the Temple marketplace. Then says something so outrageous I’m surprised it found its way into the Gospel of Mark, “if anyone says to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and does not doubt in their heart but believes that what they say will happen, it will be done for them.” Really?
This weekend we continue our series, Unfiltered Jesus, by looking at two simultaneous events that occurred a week before Jesus hung on the cross. In Mark 11:12-25, we will see Jesus’ admonishment upon the Fig tree and Temple wasn’t accidental – it was intentional. He treats the Temple like a “sacred cow” that needs to be disrupted and eventually destroyed so people can trust God. People were clinging to the Temple system for safety and security like an immovable mountain. They don’t realize that this sacred cow, this immovable mountain, isn’t so sacred or safe – they are coming down! What we need is faith in God.
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Do you believe in the afterlife? The AFTERLIFE is defined as our life after death. That such life exists is a central doctrine of the Christian faith and a favorite topic in Jesus’ teaching ministry. In fact, the AFTERLIFE is even a popular topic beyond the church where creative and wishful thinking have, at times, either amended or replaced Biblical truth.
We cannot afford to be led astray on the matter of the AFTERLIFE. Our eternal destiny hangs in the balance and, for that reason, we need to know what Jesus believes and teaches about the afterlife, even if it is hard to understand or hard to take because we don’t understand it. What does Jesus say? Truth is, he says a lot about the afterlife, and some of the most concentrated teaching is found in Luke 16:19-31.
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The best and most accurate way to describe the story in Mark 10:17-31 is that it is a story about a man who was but one step away from a personal and eternal relationship with God. Jesus showed him the step to be taken, and Jesus invited him it. It was a step of surrender. The object to be surrendered – in this case money - is not as important as the act of surrender. Join your GCC family this weekend as we unpack a sometimes hard to understand encounter between a rich man and Jesus. Join us as we learn how that encounter makes an eternal difference in our lives – rich or not! Surrender is a step every one of us must make to follow Jesus!
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Read the Gospels. You can’t help but notice that Jesus had a lot of fans. He drew large crowds. He attracted many spectators. As long as he was performing miracles and preaching against the sins of others, the fans were happy. But when his preaching hit close to home, when his teaching was hard to accept, he intentionally drew the proverbial “line in the sand” – the line between fan and follower. And He invited his fans to cross the line and become His followers.
Over the past several weeks, GCC has been working through a series called “Unfiltered Jesus.” This series unpacks and explains several of Jesus’ hard sayings. One of those hard sayings is found in Matthew 10:34, “Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace but a sword.” Did Jesus mean what He said? Was He holding a sword in Matthew 10? Should violence be used in the expansion of the Gospel? Join us this weekend as we unpack and explain another hard saying of Jesus. As we will discover, in Matthew 10:34-39, Jesus gives his followers a warning by using a well-known weapon of warfare – the sword. Follow Him, and you may face opposition. Worse than outside opposition, your own family may unfollow you, block you, and reject you. Which leaves us asking, how should we live when our family doesn’t accept whom we live for?
“if anyone comes to me and does not HATE his father and mother, his wife and children, his brothers and sisters – yes, even his own life – he cannot be my disciple.” Did Jesus really say that – that we should hate the ‘nearest and dearest’ in our lives? Isn’t this ‘hate speech’? What about Jesus’ command to love others? Isn’t this a contradiction of that!? NOT AT ALL. Jesus doesn’t contradict himself, and this is not ‘hate speech’. This is a figure of speech. This is Jesus exaggerating a point to make a point. To discover the point Jesus is making and to learn what it means for your life, join the GCC family this weekend as we unpack the next hard saying of Jesus in Luke 14:25-27. I look forward to seeing you at GCC!
“Everyone has a cross to bear.” Maybe you’ve heard that expression; maybe you’ve used it. It has its origin in the Bible but it has found its way into our common, everyday language where it isn’t usually used in the way Jesus intended. From ingrown toenails to annoying neighbors to giving up chocolate for lent, it’s amazing how many of life’s discomforts are, in the minds of people, “their cross to bear.” Unfortunately, in its migration into our everyday language, we’ve trivialized “a cross to bear.” We’ve redefined it to suit our needs and, in the process, the very concept of bearing a cross has lost its Spirit-anointed purpose and power. What does it really mean to bear a cross? The answer to that question is found when we take a good, long, hard look at what Jesus really says about “the cross I bear.” Join me and your GCC family this weekend as we unpack another hard saying of Jesus and learn from Mark 8:31-9:1 what it means to bear our cross!
This weekend, let’s talk about prayer and how it works. If you’re like me, you probably have a lot of questions about prayer and possibly even some frustration with prayer. In fact, one of Jesus’ most concentrated teachings on prayer is in Luke 11:1-13. For many people, it has been hard to understand because it doesn’t always reflect our personal experience with prayer. “ Jesus, I did ask, but I didn’t get what I asked for. Must I keep asking and, if so, why? If you’re good, and I believe you are, why not give me exactly what I ask for, help me find the thing I’m seeking.” Join your GCC family this weekend as we begin at Luke 11 5 to learn how to pray and how God answers our prayers.
To begin, let me ask you, why would Jesus tell us to ask God not to lead us into temptation? Every other request we make in the Lord’s Prayer (Luke 11:1-4) fits the character of God as we know Him. But lead us not into temptation!!? God certainly doesn’t tempt us, but why must we make that request? What does it mean? To learn what it means and to explore what God says about temptation in His Word, listen to this message.
The Church isn't about buildings or preferences. It is an amazing collective of people coming together to worship the Lord.