Grace Bible Church: Recent Episodes
Grace Bible Church
Our vision at Grace is to see God's grace changing lives. We hope you enjoy these messages, and if you're local to Hampton Roads, we'd love for you to experience a service live sometime soon! Learn more at gracebible.church.
This message picks up where last week left off — with more to say about the holiness of God. Working through Job 37, Psalm 93, and Isaiah 6, we see a God who is not simply a better version of us but a different category entirely. From there the sermon traces the movement of Hebrews 10 — made holy through Jesus, being made holy through the Spirit — and gets painfully specific about what that looks like when we sin. Using pornography as a concrete example, the difference becomes clear between living on the wrong side of guilt and shame versus living from the position of someone who has already been made holy and is being drawn back toward God. The message ends with Revelation 7's vision of every nation standing before the throne in white robes — the destination the whole journey is heading toward.
In this message, Eric continues the Red Thread series by diving into one of the most challenging books of the Bible — Leviticus. Rather than a dusty collection of ancient laws, Eric shows that Leviticus is about one of the most urgent questions any person can ask: how do muddy, broken people get to be with a holy God? Working through the clean/unclean/defiled categories of Leviticus, the Day of Atonement, and the book of Hebrews, Eric makes the case that God's primary concern has never been your behavior — it's your position. And through Jesus, that position has changed forever.
In this message, Matt Love traces a single thread through the book of Exodus, the Gospel of John, and the book of Revelation: God's relentless desire to dwell with his people. Beginning with Israel's terrified response to God's presence at Mount Sinai — where the people chose distance over nearness — Matt shows how God's immediate response was not judgment but invitation. God's command to build the tabernacle in Exodus 25:8 was not a building project — it was a declaration that presence, not prosperity or performance, is the point of faith. Drawing on the Hebrew and Greek words behind the tabernacle and John 1:14, Matt demonstrates that when John writes that Jesus "tabernacled among us," he is making a direct and deliberate connection to the Exodus story — God crossing every barrier to be with his people in flesh. And in Revelation 21:3–4, the promise first spoken in the wilderness finds its final answer: God's dwelling place is with humanity, permanently, with every tear wiped away. If you have ever felt like faith is about getting somewhere or getting good enough, this message offers a different vision: the God of Scripture has been removing every obstacle — fear, sin, death — not to improve you or relocate you, but simply to be with you.
In this message, Eric introduces the Red Thread series — a five-week journey through the first five books of the Bible — by tracing a single thread from Genesis to Revelation: the promise of a seed who would reverse the curse. Beginning in Genesis 3 with the entry of sin, death, and the enemy into the world, Eric follows God's covenant with Abraham through to its fulfillment in Jesus, showing how the offspring promised in the garden is the same seed Paul identifies in Galatians and the same Lamb whose throne anchors the new creation in Revelation. The message lands on a simple but profound question: are you trusting the seed, or trying to be one?
In this message, Eric walks through Galatians 6:7-8 and a simple but sobering principle: you reap what you sow, you reap more than you sow, and you reap later than you sow. Using a story from his own family's life at Moe's and a hard scene he witnessed at a Panera, Eric makes the case that technology is not neutral. It's shaping who we, and our families, are becoming, one meal and one moment at a time. He closes with a specific, doable challenge: no technology at the table, for anyone.
In this message, Eric walks through 2 Corinthians 11:1-15, where Paul defends himself against the ‘super-apostles’ — leaders who looked impressive by every cultural standard of the day, but were quietly leading the Corinthian church away from the truth. Eric unpacks how easily something false can look convincing, and challenges us to ask where we’ve traded the real story of following Jesus for a safer, more culturally acceptable version of it — one built on confirmation instead of challenge, success instead of sacrifice, and instant results instead of a slow process of transformation.
From job interviews to dating apps to social media, we’re surrounded by opportunities to prove ourselves. It’s easy to believe our value depends on our accomplishments, our strengths, or what others think of us. But in 2 Corinthians 11, Paul hands us a completely different kind of resume. This Sunday, we explore how the cross reshapes our understanding of identity, weakness, and success—and why following Jesus changes what we value most.
In this message, Eric opens 2 Corinthians 12 and follows Paul into one of the most counterintuitive ideas in the New Testament: that weakness is not something to hide but something to lead with. Using Paul's mysterious "thorn in the flesh" and Jesus's response to it, "my grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness", Eric makes the case that boasting in weakness isn't false modesty or spiritual performance. It's the only posture that actually opens us up to receive what God has for us. The sermon invites everyone to get honest about the two words that unlock God's power: "I can't."
We live in a world engineered for conflict — in our marriages, our politics, and our closest relationships. Most of us have been fighting hard our whole lives and still feel like we're losing. In this message from 2 Corinthians 10, we look at the apostle Paul facing personal attacks and public criticism — and choosing a completely different way to fight. If you're exhausted from conflict that never seems to resolve, this message is for you.
In this message, Eric works through 2 Corinthians 9:6–15, confronting one of the most misused passages in the New Testament head-on. Framed by the anchor verse of the entire section — “they gave themselves first to the Lord” — Eric shows that the sowing and reaping principle Paul describes is not a prosperity gospel promise but an invitation into a fundamentally different relationship with money and blessing. God blesses the cheerful giver not so they can accumulate more for themselves but so they can be generous on every occasion. The harvest Paul promises is righteousness, thanksgiving to God, and the needs of others being met.
In this message, Eric explores what it actually means to honor God with your finances. Drawing from 2 Corinthians 8 and Jesus's teaching in Matthew 6, he makes the case that genuine generosity is not primarily a financial decision but a spiritual one — a question of who is actually reigning as king over your life and your resources. Eric walks through how GBC practices financial accountability, offers a fresh definition of heaven and earth from Matthew 6, and closes with a direct pastoral invitation: if you haven't surrendered financially, you have a lid on your spiritual life.
In this message, Eric opens with a simple but disorienting question: how much would you need to love someone to trade places with them? From there he takes the us to 2 Corinthians 8:9, the theological heart of Paul's generosity section, where Paul holds up Jesus as the ultimate model of sacrificial giving. Jesus moved from infinite wealth to profound poverty for our sake, and his example is not meant to be exploited for personal blessing but imitated in how we hold and give our money. Eric explores three honest questions about desire, priority, and proportion, and closes with a story about a young man who started giving not because he had extra but because he had tasted grace. The invitation is simple: what story do you want your money to tell?
Giving in church can feel awkward. Why would anyone willingly give away a significant portion of their income? In this sermon, Ryan unpacks 2 Corinthians 8 and the massive offering the apostle Paul organized across the ancient world to support the church in Jerusalem. Along the way, we discover a bigger vision of the church—not just a building or weekly gathering, but a multi-cultural, multi-generational movement of Jesus’ people across space and time. This message challenges us to rethink generosity as one of the primary ways we participate in what God is doing in the world.
In this message, Eric opens in 2 Corinthians by exploring what real relationships actually require. Drawing from Paul’s vulnerable, risk-taking pursuit of the Corinthian church in chapter 7, Eric identifies six risks that genuine relationships demand — sharing desires, vulnerability, struggle, feelings, need for others, and owning our sin. At the heart of the sermon is one of the most practical questions in Paul’s entire letter: what does godly sorrow look like, and why does it restore relationships when worldly sorrow only destroys them? The message ends with a simple, concrete invitation: one question, one person, this week.
In this message, Eric explores one of the most countercultural identities in all of Scripture — the identity of a servant. Using John 13, he shows how Jesus, fully aware of his power and authority, got up from the table and washed his disciples' feet — not just as an act of service, but as a defining moment of identity formation. The invitation is simple but challenging: say yes to the identity Jesus has for you, and let that identity shape your responsibility everywhere you go — and specifically, in the local church.
“SOMEBODY SAY YES!” teaches that saying yes to God is not usually one dramatic moment, but a lifestyle of daily obedience. David’s victory over Goliath began long before the battlefield through small acts of faithfulness—serving his father, tending sheep, and trusting God in private battles. Saying yes often requires faith without knowing all the details, but God uses those moments to position us for purpose. Saying yes leads to life, just as Jesus said yes for our salvation. Our obedience also impacts others, because one person’s yes can bless families, churches, communities, and even future generations.
In this message, Hannah continues the Best Question Ever series by asking a harder question: if wisdom is so simple, why do we ignore it? Drawing from the book of Proverbs, Hannah unpacks three types of people who ignore wisdom — the naïve, the fool, and the mocker — and what each one needs to move toward wisdom. The answer isn't more information. It's humility, sacrifice, and a willingness to stop trusting yourself most.
In this message, Eric introduces what he calls "the best question ever" — a simple but powerful filter for every decision we face. Most of us have made choices we regret, not because they were obviously wrong, but because we weren't asking the right question. Whether you're navigating relationships, finances, parenting, or everyday choices, this question has the potential to shape not just your decisions, but the person you are becoming.
In this message, Eric shows that the uncertainty we feel in life isn't just a circumstances problem — it's a death problem. Drawing from Genesis 2-3, he traces how humanity's rebellion cut us off from God, introducing death not as a single event but as an ongoing condition of hiding, shame, and loneliness. But the God who came looking for Adam and Eve in the garden is still asking the same question today: "Where are you?" Eric walks through the resurrection in Matthew 28 to show that if death is the problem, resurrection is the answer — and that the answer to uncertainty isn't certainty. It's a relationship with the person who defeated death.
In this message, Eric explores what Jesus meant when He announced, “The kingdom of God has come near.” Many people think of the gospel as how we begin following Jesus, but Jesus presents it as something much bigger—His reign over every part of life. Looking at Palm Sunday and Jesus clearing the temple, we see what kind of King He is: gentle, yet confrontational toward power structures that block people from God. While religious leaders resist Him, the blind, the lame, and children move toward Him—and He moves toward them. This message challenges us to ask: Do we see ourselves as self-sufficient, or as people in need? Because the good news is not for those who think they have it all together, but for those who know they don’t.
In this message, Eric looks at Jesus’ surprising words in John 6 after feeding the 5,000. The crowd comes looking for more bread, but Jesus exposes a deeper issue: they’re focused on what will fill them temporarily, while he wants to give them something that truly satisfies. Jesus declares, “I am the Bread of Life.” Like the crowd, we often believe that if one circumstance in our lives changed, success, security, comfort, or control, then we’d finally be okay. But Jesus challenges that assumption. Real satisfaction isn’t found in changing our circumstances. It’s found in trusting him, the One who gives life that truly satisfies.
In this message, Eric continues the Journey to the Cross series by explaining why Lent has long been a season of fasting, reflection, and repentance. Teaching from Matthew 3:16–4:11 (NIV), he shows that temptation is not a sign of spiritual failure — it is part of being human. Right after Jesus’ baptism and the Father’s affirmation, the Spirit leads Him into the wilderness to be tempted. There, Jesus faces three core temptations: comfort (meeting legitimate needs in illegitimate ways), control (demanding that God do our will), and compromise (separating obedience from worship). Each temptation ultimately asks one question: Will you trust God? By responding with Scripture and deep trust in the Father, Jesus shows us how to fight temptation — and reminds us that He has already overcome it in our place. Lent becomes a season to name our areas of struggle and learn to trust God more deeply as we move toward the cross.
While the passage includes strong warnings about sexual immorality, greed, careless words, and drunkenness, these are not rules for earning salvation—they are invitations to something better. Biblical purity is reframed not as performance, but as a loving response to Christ’s sacrificial love on the cross. Instead of chasing impulses that leave us empty, Paul calls believers to trade impurity for holiness, foolish talk for thanksgiving, and numbing behaviors for the filling of the Holy Spirit. Especially during Lent, this message challenges us to see obedience not as an unwinnable game, but as a pathway to deeper joy, healing, and life to the full.
In this message, Eric introduces Lent as a historic Christian season of repentance and renewal. Drawing from his own journey, he highlights the beauty and diversity of the global church and explains why Grace is intentionally stepping into this ancient practice, showing how believers have long prepared their hearts for Easter through repentance and fasting. Teaching from Joel 2:12–13, he explains that repentance is a turning—like realizing you’re headed the wrong direction and making a U-turn—and that God invites us to “rend your heart and not your garments.” Lent becomes an invitation to say no to something good in order to say yes to something greater: deeper trust, renewed faith, and surrender to Jesus as King.
In this message, Eric connects Psalm 67’s vision of being “blessed to be a blessing” with a deeper biblical identity: exile. Looking at Jeremiah 29 and Philippians 3:20, Eric shows how Israel’s exile in Babylon shapes how followers of Jesus understand their place in the world today. We are not at home here. Our citizenship is in heaven, and that changes our allegiance, our priorities, and how we engage our city. Instead of withdrawing or revolting, we are called to seek the peace and prosperity of the place where God has sent us. The message challenges us to embrace a new identity—citizens of heaven living as exiles—and to respond practically through prayer, generosity, and mission.
In this message, Eric kicks off the two-week series Go! Here, There, and Everywhere by naming a subtle but common spiritual drift he calls yearbook theology—the tendency to make faith primarily about ourselves. Using familiar passages like Jeremiah 29 and Psalm 46, Eric shows how Scripture is often misunderstood when we ignore context and center our own experience. He then walks through Psalm 67, revealing God’s heart to bless his people so that his ways and salvation might be known among all nations. The message challenges listeners to see God’s blessing not as the destination, but as the means—inviting us to align our lives with God’s global, outward-facing purpose and ask a simple but courageous question: Will I be a blessing?
As Eric wrapped up our Unity series, we asked an honest and important question: Is racial unity optional or essential to following Jesus? To answer it, we took a “hop-on, hop-off” tour through the book of Acts and saw how racial and ethnic inclusion sits at the very center of the early church. From Jesus expanding the disciples’ vision beyond Israel, to Pentecost including people from every nation, to the church empowering marginalized voices, to Peter realizing God shows no favoritism, Acts shows us again and again that the gospel tears down ethnic and racial barriers. Racial unity wasn’t a side issue—it shaped how the church lived, led, and loved. The conclusion is unavoidable: racial unity is essential to following Jesus. And our calling today is the same—to not make it difficult for people of any race or ethnicity who are turning to God.
In this message, Bishop McBath reminds us that the Church’s core calling is reconciliation—not division. Drawing from 2 Corinthians 5:11–21, he teaches that reconciliation begins with our broken relationship with God, not merely our broken relationships with one another. Through Christ’s sacrificial love, we are reconnected to God purely by grace, not merit. But reconciliation doesn’t stop there. God entrusts reconciled people with a reconciled mission. As Christ’s ambassadors, we now represent a new kingdom, guided by a new love and a new way of leading—making decisions about others based on grace, not race.
In this message, Eric reflects on ten years of Grace Bible Church’s journey toward racial unity—honestly naming missteps, growth, repentance, and grace along the way. Drawing from Jesus’ prayer in John 17, the Lord’s Prayer, and the vision of heaven in Revelation 5, he reminds us that unity across race and ethnicity is not a side issue, but central to the gospel and the witness of the church. Racial unity is not about uniformity or politics, but about a shared purpose—to love God and love others. As God continues to form a diverse and unified community at GBC, the invitation remains simple and challenging: pray, listen, and trust the Spirit to keep moving us toward complete unity.
In this message, Eric explored one of Jesus’ most challenging teachings from John 12:20–26, where Jesus describes life, growth, and glory as something that comes through death, not success. As Eric explained, what Jesus calls “glory” often looks like failure by our culture’s standards. Just as a seed must fall into the ground and die to bear fruit, followers of Jesus are invited to stop trying harder and instead surrender their desires, control, and self-reliance to God. Eric challenged listeners to ask an honest question—What am I depending on when I am not depending on God?—and showed how real spiritual growth happens when we trust God with what we cannot control and follow Jesus in the way of surrender.
As a new year begins, many people measure growth by strength, success, or knowledge—but Scripture offers a deeper vision. In this New Year sermon from Psalm 131, we are invited to rethink spiritual growth as deeper dependence on Jesus, not greater control over life. Through personal story and biblical reflection, this message explores how quieting our souls before God forms trust, resilience, and peace—especially when life doesn’t go as planned. True growth isn’t about having more answers, but learning to rest in the faithful care of God like a child with a loving parent.
Is Christmas really good news when life feels hard? This Christmas, Eric reminded us that Jesus entered a world filled with disruption, disappointment, and pain. He wasn’t born into a perfect situation—and He didn’t come to give us a perfect life. He came as a Savior. Jesus is not an assistant or a good example; He is the One who does for us what we cannot do for ourselves. Christmas is the good news that God meets us in the life we’re actually living and offers forgiveness, hope, and new life through Jesus. This message explores why Christmas is good news for everyone—and how trusting Jesus as Savior and Lord can bring peace even when life doesn’t turn out as planned.
Yesterday we stepped into one of the most unlikely Christmas passages—2 Corinthians 6. At first glance, beatings, sleepless nights, and hunger don’t feel like they belong anywhere near Christmas. But when we look at Jesus’ actual birth story—born out of wedlock, far from home, in a borrowed stable, fleeing as a refugee—we realize this is the world he willingly entered. And it’s the world we still live in. Christmas isn’t the promise of a perfect life; it’s the announcement that God stepped into a broken one. Paul describes the tension of following Jesus as “sorrowful, yet always rejoicing.” That’s Christmas. Real life, real pain, real joy, real hope. Jesus doesn’t wait for your life to look ideal. He comes into the life you really have. And he gives you a joy that circumstances can’t create or take away. This week, fix your eyes on what is unseen—on him.
This week we continued in 2 Corinthians and uncovered a surprising truth: Paul’s words in 6:1–2 actually point us straight to Christmas. When Paul warns us not to “receive God’s grace in vain,” he’s reminding us that grace has a purpose—God always intended His salvation to reach all nations. By quoting Isaiah 49, Paul shows us that Jesus is the fulfillment of God’s covenant with Israel. Jesus is the Servant who brings God’s salvation to the ends of the earth. That’s the heart of Christmas. The season isn’t ultimately about traditions, gifts, or family rhythms—even the good ones. Christmas is God keeping His promise to bless all people through Jesus. So the invitation for us is simple: don’t let the season revolve around you. Let your heart for Christmas reach beyond yourself and join God’s heart for the world.
So many of us worry that we are going to defined by our past mistakes forever which impacts how we see ourselves. Paul calls us to be reconciled to Christ, which leads us to see differently. Instead of looking at what we’ve done, we look at what God has done: He has made us new creations. This new way of seeing begins with how we view ourselves, then extends to how we view others. Our prayer becomes, “God, help me see me and others the way You do.” When this truth transforms us, we then can share the message of reconciliation with the world.
We all know what it feels like to think, “This is not the way it’s supposed to be.” Yet this is the life we actually have. Paul teaches us in 2 Corinthians 4:13–18 how to take life on life’s terms without losing heart. Faith isn’t pretending everything is fine—it’s naming what’s true in us and trusting that God is still at work. Because Jesus was raised from the dead, we can trust that God will one day raise us too. That hope gives us strength to endure today’s struggles. When life feels heavy, we don’t deny our pain; we fix our eyes on what’s unseen—the resurrection life, the unseen work of God, and the presence of Christ with us. Life on life’s terms is hard, but when we face it with Jesus, our faith becomes real, our hearts are renewed, and our hope holds.
In this message titled “Tent Living”, Pastor Matt Love explores 2 Corinthians 5:1–10, where the Apostle Paul describes our earthly lives as temporary “tents” and promises an eternal home with God. Through personal stories and honest reflections on pain, grief, and hope, Matt unpacks how to live faithfully in a broken world. Whether you’re dealing with loss, fear, or uncertainty, this sermon invites you to embrace three powerful truths: grieve what is, live by faith, and obey with confidence. If you've ever felt like this isn’t the way it’s supposed to be, this talk is for you.
This Sunday, guest preacher Nigel “Legin” Anderson continued our 2 Corinthians series with a powerful message from 2 Corinthians 4:1–6 called “We Do Not Give Up.” Paul reminds us that ministry isn’t earned; it’s received through God’s mercy. Because of that mercy, we can’t quit — not on God, not on people, not on ourselves. Even when life feels dark or discouraging, God’s light shines in our hearts through Jesus. We serve not for recognition but to reflect His glory. When you understand how deeply you’ve been shown mercy, you’ll find strength to persevere and share that mercy with others.
This Sunday, Eric wrapped up our series Like Him // For Others by reminding us that the goal is transformation—but not the kind we can produce on our own. Drawing from Matthew 3, we saw how Jesus entered the waters of baptism—not for His sin, but to identify with ours and fulfill God’s covenant promise. In doing so, He showed us that transformation begins not with striving, but with surrender. When heaven opened and the Spirit descended, Jesus was affirmed in love before He ever performed a miracle. The same Spirit and the same love are available to us. Because Jesus became like us, we can live in His kingdom, empowered by His Spirit, and love others from the assurance that we are already loved.
This week, Eric taught that God’s mission has always been to bless the world through His people. From Abraham to Jesus, God’s plan has never changed: those who know His love are called to share it. When Isaac lost sight of that mission, God corrected the story through Jacob—and ultimately through Jesus, who came to bless all people. Following Jesus means joining that mission today: serving others, blessing outsiders, and sharing Jesus wherever we go.
What makes or breaks your experience in community? According to Galatians 6:2, real community isn’t built by people who act strong—it’s built by people who share their burdens. When we don’t know our needs, or aren’t willing to share them, others can’t love us the way Jesus calls them to. In this message, Eric challenges us to move beyond surface-level relationships and discover how honesty, vulnerability, and need are essential to becoming like Jesus for the sake of others.
This week in our series Like Him // For Others, Pastor Eric reminded us that if we want to be like Jesus, we have to do what Jesus did. Again and again in the Gospels, Jesus withdrew to lonely places to pray. Silence and solitude are not just spiritual “extras”—they are essential for following Jesus in our busy, anxious, and distracted world. Silence is where we find true rest for our souls and where God shapes us to be wise and loving for the sake of others. Take a step this week: choose a time, choose a place, and start small. God will meet you there.
Why do we fight, quarrel, and struggle so much in life? James 4 tells us it begins with desires that battle within us—desires that put ourselves at the center. Left unchecked, pride makes us believe everything should revolve around “me.” But there’s hope: God gives grace to the humble. Following Jesus means choosing humility as our posture toward God—submitting to Him instead of demanding our way, resisting the devil instead of acting on impulse, and drawing near to God instead of ignoring Him. This week, Eric reminded us that pride closes us off from God, but humility opens us up to His transforming grace. And when we posture ourselves with humility, we don’t just receive grace for ourselves—we reflect Jesus for the sake of others.
This message continues our Like Him | For Others series by unpacking the Cycle of Grace—a pattern of relating to God that begins with His acceptance, not our achievements. Too often, we flip the cycle, starting with fruitfulness or performance in hopes of feeling significant and accepted. But Jesus shows us a different way: He lived from His Father’s love, sustained by spiritual rhythms, confident in His significance, and bearing fruit that lasted. When we start with grace, our lives are grounded in God’s love and freed from shame, pride, and performance-driven faith. Eric challenged us to examine whether our relationship with God is built on His acceptance or our achievements—and to embrace habits that remind us daily of His grace. This is the only way we can become like Him, for others.
Today we dug into what it really means to grow spiritually. Transformation is not about trying harder or checking boxes—it’s about becoming like Jesus for the sake of others. Scripture tells us that this change is God’s work in us: “we are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit” (2 Corinthians 3:18). But we’re not passive spectators. Romans 12 reminds us not to conform to the pattern of this world, but to be transformed by the renewing of our minds. Our role is to make ourselves available to God, open to His Spirit, and intentional in shaping what fills our minds and hearts. The good news? Transformation isn’t up to our power, but it is part of our journey.
This week, Eric reminded us that the journey of following Jesus is both impossible and essential. Our church’s Growth Path—Endearing, Attending, Belonging, and Growing—describes the part we can do, while trusting God to do what only He can. We shine light in our community, create a church unchurched people love to attend, engage in meaningful community, and embrace lifelong transformation. Ultimately, the call is to become like Jesus, for others. It’s a path marked by trust, repentance, and dependence on God’s Spirit, who alone transforms us into Christ’s image.
This week, Eric continued our journey through 2 Corinthians 3 and tackled a universal struggle: the pressure to be perfect. Whether it’s parenting, relationships, or leadership, we often think peace will come when we finally get it right. But Scripture says real peace—and real transformation—comes not from effort, but from turning to Jesus. When we remove the veil and contemplate His glory, the Spirit brings freedom: freedom from shame, pressure, and self-righteousness. And the Spirit doesn’t just free us—He transforms us. If you’ve ever wondered how real change happens, this message will give you new hope.
We weren’t created to do life alone. In Life is Lived Best with Bumpers, we explore how God designed us to grow best together, not in isolation. Hebrews 10 calls us to “not give up meeting together” because encouragement, accountability, and grace are found when we live in intentional relationships. Through personal stories of support, love, and growth, we see that community is the place where God speaks, strengthens, and transforms us. Whether through Rooted, small groups, or serving, this message challenges us to step into community and discover the life God always intended for us.
In 2 Corinthians 3:6-11, Paul says, “The letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.” The “letter” refers to God’s law—His perfect standard—which shows us His glory but also our inability to keep it. It’s like trying to look at the sun with broken sunglasses: you can’t do it. The law can’t save us; it only exposes our need. But through Jesus, we receive the Spirit, who gives us His righteousness—His “good enough”—so we can see and enjoy God’s glory now and forever. The temptation is to live as if we can be good enough on our own or hold others to our personal standard. Both lead to death. The invitation is to turn from self-reliance and trust Jesus daily, allowing His Spirit to restore our relationships with God, ourselves, and others.
In this powerful message from 2 Corinthians 3:2–3, Legin urges believers to recognize that how they live their lives testifies to the Gospel more than any title or platform. He warns against false teachers who distort God’s Word for personal gain and highlights the importance of biblical literacy to discern truth. Paul’s words to the Corinthians remind us: we are living letters from Christ, written by the Spirit, read by the world. Our lives must reflect Jesus—not just in words but in character. Legin challenges us to reject false teaching, know Scripture deeply, and live lives worthy of the Gospel.
Forgiveness isn’t just a spiritual ideal—it’s a survival skill in a broken world. In this message from 2 Corinthians 2:5–11, Matt unpacks Paul’s surprising command to confront and comfort those who’ve wronged us. Forgiveness, done well, involves truth and love. Left ignored, unforgiveness causes catastrophic relational damage. Discover how to deal with conflict in a way that protects your heart, reflects God’s grace, and exposes Satan’s plan to divide the church. If you’ve ever struggled to forgive, this message gives a biblical game plan for healing.
A heartfelt reflection shared by Ryan Levis before his upcoming sabbatical. Marking 10 years of ministry at Grace, Ryan looks back on God’s faithful leadership through seasons of change, challenge, and growth. He unpacks three core truths about God as our Shepherd from Psalm 23. This message is both personal and communal, inviting us to rest in the care of our Good Shepherd and to reflect on His guidance in our own lives.
God gives us the ultimate gift—His Spirit. This gift hits the trifecta: it’s intentional, deeply personal, and costly. Through the Holy Spirit, we’re anointed, sealed, and given a guaranteed hope of what’s to come. But this gift requires surrender. Many of us struggle to receive it fully because we cling to control—of our future, our finances, our relationships. But transformation starts with one simple, faith-filled response: “Yes.” Let go of what you’re gripping, and trust the God who already said yes to you through Jesus. He’s with you. He’s working in you. So today—give Him your yes.
We began our journey through 2 Corinthians with a message about expectations, suffering, and comfort. Life often hurts when it doesn’t go the way we planned—and faith can hurt too when it doesn’t deliver what we expected. But Paul opens his letter by reminding us that God is the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort. He doesn’t promise to prevent our pain, but He promises to meet us in it. That comfort is not just for us—it’s meant to flow through us to others. Eric shared stories of pain, numbness, and hope, pointing us back to a God who doesn’t always give us a lesson, but always gives us His presence. The invitation? Ask God to comfort you—and to use you to comfort others.
Ryan and Emily explore how our deepest relational struggles trace back to the beginning of the human story in Genesis 3. Through the concept of attachment, they unpack why sharing honestly with others (Step 2 of The Process) can feel so difficult—and how fear, shame, and past wounds shape the way we relate. With practical insights and biblical truth, they reveal how God meets us in our fear with secure love, inviting us back into healing connection—with ourselves, others, and Him.
In this sermon Dr. Melissa preaches about the rich invitation of prayer in the life of a believer. Drawing from Luke 11, it begins with the disciples' request, “Lord, teach us to pray,” emphasizing that prayer introduces us to God as a loving Father. It encourages boldness through Christ, our High Priest, who understands our struggles. Prayer also connects us to one another in community, highlighting the role of praying together. Even when words fail, the Spirit intercedes for us. Ultimately, prayer brings us home to God’s presence, culminating in a shared recitation of the Lord’s Prayer as a closing act of unity and worship.
This Sunday we wrapped up The Process by focusing on Step 3: Trust God with the Process. Eric shared real moments from the past week where he had to live this out—including owning a mistake, dealing with criticism, and surrendering outcomes he couldn’t control. Through Isaiah 50:10–11, we saw that trusting God means not lighting our own torch, not taking control, but surrendering to Him in the dark. The Process—Feel your feelings. Tell the truth. Trust God—isn’t a vending machine. It’s more like farming. It takes time, effort, and trust. Eric reminded us that true life and growth come from acknowledging we’re powerless, surrendering to Jesus, and believing God will care for us. Whether you’re just starting or starting again, The Process is how we guard our hearts and stay connected to Jesus in a tragic world.
This week we moved to Part 2 of The Process: Tell the Truth to God, Self, and Others. After we feel our feelings, we must speak them honestly—because unspoken emotions become impairments like resentment or toxic shame. Eric reminded us that our feelings are true to us, and telling the truth about them is essential to living from the heart. Scripture is full of examples—like David in the Psalms—of raw honesty before God. We explored how even hard conversations, like a recent moment around racial unity, can become places of healing when we engage with courage and humility. Shame isn’t a sign of failure—it’s an invitation to recognize our limits and open ourselves to grace. The more we do this together, the more we live like the body of Christ. This week, take the risk to share what’s real—with God and someone else. The Process continues!
This week in The Process, Eric shared the honest truth: most of us live on the banks of the river—either trying to control everything or giving up entirely. But there’s another way. God invites us into the river of real life by beginning with this first step: feel your feelings. Eric unpacked the eight core emotions, especially fear, and showed how anxiety is often unprocessed fear that blocks us from trusting God. Real growth starts when we feel our emotions, tell the truth about them, and trust God with the outcome. Start today: name what you feel.
This week, Eric continued The Process by inviting us to face the reality of the world we live in—it’s tragic. From Jesus’ words in Luke 13 to Paul’s groaning in Romans 8, Scripture doesn’t shy away from pain. Yet instead of escaping into control or apathy, we’re called to feel. Eric and reminded us that our emotions are a gift from God for living in a fallen world. The 8 core feelings—hurt, lonely, sad, anger, fear, guilt, shame, and glad—aren’t the enemy; they’re the way into real life. The tragedy of life isn’t the end of the story—but ignoring our hearts is. If you want to walk in the light, you’ll need to walk in the truth of what you feel.
This week, Eric kicked off a new series called The Process: Living Fully in a Tragic World. It’s personal, practical, and deeply spiritual. Drawing from Proverbs 4:23 and Chip Dodd’s Voice of the Heart, we explored how emotional honesty is essential for spiritual maturity. Jesus Himself felt all eight core emotions—and lived fully in the midst of a tragic world. The journey toward emotional and spiritual wholeness begins with naming what’s really happening inside of us. If we want to guard our hearts, we need the right tools. And it starts by learning to feel what we feel.
This sermon emphasizes that God created each person on purpose, for a purpose, and with a purposeful design—regardless of their situation or status in life. Using the letter of Philemon, it explores how the Gospel transforms relationships, identity, and how we live. Paul urges Philemon to forgive and receive Onesimus, a former servant, not as a slave but as a beloved brother in Christ. The message challenges listeners to live by Kingdom values rather than cultural rights, and to let the sharing of their faith become effective through reconciliation, forgiveness, and recognizing their identity as saints in God’s Kingdom.
Ryan invites us to take a fresh look at the local church—what it is, why it matters, and how it fits into God’s bigger story. Acknowledging common frustrations with church, especially when it feels irrelevant or inconsistent, Ryan explores why serving and investing the church is still worth our time and commitment. This goes beyond duty or tradition to something rooted in grace. If you’ve ever questioned the value of church, this message is for you.
This week in Say Yes, Eric showed how your unique gifts and wiring matter deeply to God—and that your life finds purpose when you align it with his kingdom. Drawing from Jesus’ parable in Matthew 25, we learned that the point isn’t “use your gifts or else,” but rather an invitation to live a life of meaning, shaped by a generous God. When you believe that God made you on purpose, for a purpose, with a purposeful design, you can stop striving and start living faithfully right where you are. That’s the invitation: Say Yes to God’s kingdom purpose in your life.
We kicked off our Say Yes series by challenging the cultural obsession with self-esteem. Eric showed us that while encouragement is good, building your value on talents or achievements leads to insecurity. Instead, Jesus offers something deeper—self-worth rooted in your identity as a loved and created child of God. You were made on purpose, for a purpose, with a purposeful design. This truth reshapes how we view ourselves and our calling. And for many, living this out starts by saying “yes” to serving others—especially the next generation. Self-worth leads to purpose, and purpose leads to action. Say yes.
On Easter Sunday, Eric shared the story of Mary Magdalene—who was the first to see the risen Jesus. But she didn’t recognize Him until He said her name. In that moment, everything changed. Our names carry meaning. They represent our stories, our identities, and our deep need to be known. The power of the resurrection is personal: Jesus calls each of us by name. Will we turn toward Him? Easter isn’t just about a theological idea. It’s about an encounter with the living Christ—who knows your name and invites you into new life.
It is common to get stuck on a rollercoaster of being certain in our faith one day and then questioning everything we think we know about God when something hard happens. When we choose to turn away from God in the suffering, we suffer as one who has been abandoned, versus when we choose to turn towards God in the suffering, we suffer as one who has faith, as Jesus did while He was on the cross. Jesus turned towards His Father, crying out to Him in the midst of His pain, and we can do the same, leading us into greater intimacy with our Father.
Some of history’s biggest breakthroughs—like the telephone, cars, and computers—were rejected at first. Even Apple was turned down. Jesus was also rejected, but his earliest followers came to see him as the cornerstone of history, fulfilling Psalm 118: "The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone.” God has declared that Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection are the foundation of everything. How we respond to him is the most important decision we’ll ever make.
This week, we wrapped up The Gratitude Economy series by looking at how our attitude toward money can wreck our faith. Like teaching a new driver to slow down towards a red light, Paul warns us in 1 Timothy 6 to avoid the trap of chasing wealth....it’s not about how much you have, but how much you desire more. Instead, we’re called to give first, save wisely, and live contentedly. When we prioritize gratitude-based generosity over money, our faith stays secure and our lives become a testimony of God’s perfect provision. Have you chosen to be a decided and generous giver? If not, you can start here today.
This past Sunday, Eric continued The Gratitude Economy series with a powerful challenge: Are we “decided” givers or “emotional” givers? Looking at Paul’s teachings in 1 and 2 Corinthians, we saw that true generosity isn’t about reacting to emotions—it’s about making giving a consistent, intentional priority. Paul instructed believers to give first, by percentage, and progressively as they were able. When we become “decided givers,” we’re freed from financial self-deception and step into a life of generosity that overflows in thanksgiving to God. Generosity isn’t just about what we give—it’s about who we are becoming. Have you taken the step to begin your journey of generosity? The place to start is gracebible.church/give
This Sunday, Eric continued our Gratitude Economy series, showing how true transformation happens when gratitude leads to generosity. Using a PVC pipe illustration, he explained that spiritual growth requires both loving God and loving others—and that real gratitude always overflows into generosity. In 2 Corinthians 8 we saw that the Macedonian churches gave beyond their ability, not out of obligation, but because gratitude fueled their generosity. If we want to grow in gratitude, we have to grow in generosity—and that takes a plan. What’s one step you can take this week?
Yesterday, we looked at the story of the ten lepers in Luke 17. All ten were healed. All were grateful. But only one expressed it. Eric taught us that unexpressed gratitude becomes ingratitude. It’s not enough to feel thankful—we have to show it. When we don’t, it can lead to entitlement, pride, and blindness to God’s goodness.
This week, let’s not just be thankful—let’s express it. To God. To others. Take the ‘WOW’ challenge and see how often you can say ‘WOW’ to something that you used to take for granted.
This week, we kicked off our new series, The Gratitude Economy, by exploring how deception around money and life can distort our thinking. James 1 reminds us that temptation and discontent come from within us, not from God. We often deceive ourselves by blaming God or focusing on what we lack rather than recognizing the good gifts He has given us. But there’s a cure—gratitude. When we practice thankfulness, we fight deception and shift our perspective. Want to grow in gratitude? Try The Gratitude Game! (and if you didn’t get one, stop by Guest Services next week to grab yours!) Watch this week’s message and take a step toward a more joyful, content life.
For the past four weeks, we’ve explored going Underground—allowing Sabbath to shape our lives. The question is, will you allow Jesus’ presence and will to have deep access to your life by practicing the Sabbath? Remember, the Sabbath is a gift, not a rule! It is a day FOR us, dedicated to God, where we stop, rest, delight, and worship. What would it look like for you to try a Sabbath day in the next two weeks?
Also, Eric mentioned two resources that might be helpful: the book Sacred Rhythms and the website practicingtheway.org. Let’s embrace this Sabbath gift from God—together!
This week, Eric continued our “Underground” series with a message about the Sabbath. In a culture that insists, “You can have it all,” Eric challenged us to embrace our God-given limits and instead declare, “Jesus, YOU can have it all.” The Sabbath, a gift of rest and surrender, invites us to stop striving and trust Jesus with our lives. This week, consider: I you were to take a Sabbath, what could you stop to experience deeper peace and freedom in Christ?
Ryan’s message this past Sunday focused on the Sabbath as a way to resist the cultural forces of productivity, greed, and busyness. He highlighted how passages from Exodus and Deuteronomy teach rest as both a reflection of God’s rhythm and a resistance to injustice and exploitation. Ryan encouraged everyone to start practicing Sabbath-rest this week and to reflect on the external and internal resistance we face when trying to rest.
Eric continued the Underground series with a message about the Sabbath, a gift often overlooked in our fast-paced lives. Drawing from the Old and New Testaments, Eric explored why the Sabbath is not a command we’re obligated to follow but an invitation to Stop, Rest, Delight, and Worship. Whether you’re a longtime follower of Jesus or exploring faith for the first time, discover how the Sabbath can transform your heart and bring you closer to God.
This Christmas Eve, Eric asked us, “What’s Christmas all about?” On one level, it’s about Jesus’ birth. But it goes deeper—it’s about God’s presence with us and the gift of eternal life. Like a child missing Christmas by not turning around to see the gifts, we can miss God’s presence in our lives. This season, pause and reflect: Are you spending time with Jesus to experience him with you? Christmas isn’t just a day; it’s an invitation to walk with Jesus, experience His love, and receive the gift of life that lasts forever.
Can people who are divided politically be uniquely united around Jesus?
Yes! People who love Jesus disagree on important issues all the time. Eric urged us to focus on two ideas:
Prioritizing our identity in Jesus over our political identities.
Embracing Jesus' ethic of love for our friends, neighbors, and enemies.
Imagine what could change in our relationships if instead of debating first, we chose to love, remembering that every person on this earth is the loved image of God?
For copyright reasons, we cannot include the film clips in our At the Movies series; however, we have included timecode from the movie so that you can rent, purchase, or stream the movie and watch the referenced clip.
For copyright reasons, we cannot include the film clips in our At the Movies series; however, we have included timecode from the movie so that you can rent, purchase, or stream the movie and watch the referenced clip.
For copyright reasons, we cannot include the film clips in our At the Movies series; however, we have included timecode from the movie so that you can rent, purchase, or stream the movie and watch the referenced clip.
In life we are asked to take many things at face value but as believers our faith should not be one of them. The Bible invites us to ask for wisdom and reason together. Join us every Wednesday as we sit down to answer your questions about the Sunday morning sermon, inviting conversation and discussion to grow together in faith.
For copyright reasons, we cannot include the film clips in our At the Movies series; however, we have included timecode from the movie so that you can rent or purchase the movie and watch the referenced clip.
For copyright reasons, we cannot include the film clips in our At the Movies series; however, we have included timecode from the movie so that you can rent or purchase the movie and watch the referenced clip.
For copyright reasons, we cannot include the film clips in our At the Movies series; however, we have included timecode from the movie so that you can rent or purchase the movie and watch the referenced clip.