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, li...
Feb 26, 2023•42 min
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....
Feb 19, 2023•45 min
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 su...
Feb 12, 2023•42 min
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 t...
Feb 05, 2023•44 min
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! CONNECT WITH US: ► Instagram ht...
Jan 31, 2023•43 min
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 ragi...
Jan 23, 2023•44 min
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...
Jan 08, 2023•48 min
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.
Jan 01, 2023•42 min
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 ...
Dec 14, 2022•36 min
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 ...
Dec 04, 2022•42 min
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,...
Nov 27, 2022•43 min
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 c...
Nov 20, 2022•46 min
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 si...
Nov 13, 2022•36 min
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 ...
Nov 06, 2022•41 min
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 cultur...
Nov 01, 2022•50 min
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 Ch...
Oct 23, 2022•41 min
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...
Oct 16, 2022•42 min
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 s...
Oct 09, 2022•48 min
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 ...
Oct 02, 2022•37 min
“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 embra...
Sep 18, 2022•41 min
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 c...
Sep 11, 2022•39 min
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 ...
Aug 28, 2022•54 min
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 wi...
Aug 21, 2022•35 min
“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 ...
Aug 14, 2022•39 min
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 th...
Aug 10, 2022•43 min
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!
Aug 03, 2022•39 min
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.
Jul 24, 2022•42 min
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 an...
Jul 17, 2022•43 min
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 s...
Jul 12, 2022•6 min
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 s...
Jul 03, 2022•33 min
