A messages from the series “Stand Alone Messages.” Brian Farone is the EFCA District Superintendent of the North Central District, to which GREFC belongs. Today, Brian shows us a church plant from Acts in the city of Thessolonica. From this church plant we can learn so many things about how God works in a local church through everyday saints.

A messages from the series “Core Values.” As we conclude the Core Values sermon series, it makes sense to see where it is all going. The reality is that our values feed into and create our Mission. Our Mission drives our Vision which uses our Strategy to accomplish it, leading to the 5 Marks of (Spiritual) Maturity, that we’ve spoke of before. And this is all done, not as single individuals, but together, as the church.

A messages from the series “Stand Alone Messages.” When Joel Ahlstrom looks back on his life, he could have said that overcoming autism and dyslexia was the singular most important event in his life. Or he could talk about the two cross country runs he ran which culminated in meeting a president. Or he could share the tale of realizing his life-long dream of owning the perfect grocery store. But what he would actually tell you is the most important event of his life would be his total surrender to Jesus.

A messages from the series “Core Values.” Our 5th Core Value is His Commission. God doesn’t need the church but we are His plan to bring the world to Him. We are entrusted stewards of His message to the world but we do not do it alone. We are on a co-mission with God where the love of Jesus Christ fuels everything we do.

Our fourth core value is Our Growth. When we accept Christ, we all start as spiritual infants. And just like babies, not growing is not good. In fact, if you’re not growing your dying. There’s no middle ground. You may squeak into heaven, but you’ll be like a dying plant, desiccated and withered. In today’s sermon, you’ll hear 10 ways we’re supposed to grow that indicate signs of life in the believer.

A messages from the series “Core Values.” Our 3rd Core Value is the Gospel. No matter how hard we try to save ourselves, we recognize our deep need for rest and redemption that are found only in Jesus Christ. He is the better savior and sacrifice, and the only one who offers unwavering hope and fulfilled promises.

A messages from the series “Core Values.” It makes no sense to know someone really well but have no response to them in your life. God doesn’t want people to simply know about Him. He longs for us to pour out our hearts to Him, to trust Him, to Praise Him, to come to Him for wisdom and direction, to serve Him, to remember His faithfulness in the past and to look forward to what He will do in the future. And no biblical book captures all the wide range of responses to God like the book of Psalms.

A messages from the series “Core Values.” Our first core value is His Revelation. We value that God reveals Himself to every believer, with the understanding that God is the great initiator. But how do we hear the voice of God in our everyday lives? Come with us as we learn the ways that God makes Himself known to us and how we can know that it is He who is “speaking.”

A messages from the series “Core Values.” Just like an individual’s values determine who they are, a churches core values guide and direct everything it does. In the introduction to our Core Values sermon series, we hear from our elders who share what these values mean to them and what it looks like in the life of our church.

A messages from the series “Colossians: A Church Alive in Christ.” As we close out this sermon series, we look at what it means to have Christian fellowship. Through all the people listed in Paul’s closing of the letter, his friends and fellow laborers for the Gospel, we learn a vast amount about what it means to be believers together.