Grace Capital City Podcast

In 2 Timothy 3:16-17, we're reminded that all scripture is God-breathed, equipping us for every good work. But what about caring for God's creation? Is it truly within the scope of "every good work"? And does the Bible empower or hinder such efforts? Join Pastor Olu and Dr. Jessica Moerman as they explore the deep connection between the Christian faith and environmental stewardship. We'll confront two common theological narratives that often obstruct efforts in Creation Care: "God put us in charge, therefore we can do whatever we want...""It's all going to burn up anyway, so who cares.."Through a careful examination of Genesis 1 and 2, as well as 2 Peter 3, we'll uncover counternarratives that challenge these misconceptions. Together, we'll discover a profound call to responsible stewardship and partnership with God in the hopeful restoration of all things.

In this Message Pastor Chris teaches from 1 Kings 21, the story of Naboth's Vineyard and King Ahab’s efforts to steal it. Learning to discern what is ours to carry and what is not is one of the pivotal steps we all need to take in following Jesus. This story and message gives us an insight into that journey.

In this message Pastor Chris teaches from Luke 24, and the story of Jesus walking the journey to Emmaus with two disillusioned disciples. Every single one of us walk through seasons of disappointment, and this story can be a great reminder of God's faithfulness to us, even when we find ourselves walking outside of his plans.

In this Easter Sunday message Pastor Chris teaches from Colossians 1, where Paul calls Jesus the ‘Firstborn from among the dead’. He teaches on the curse of death and its grim realities, but most importantly the glorious hope that we have in the resurrection of Jesus.

In this sermon, our Justice & Operations Director Hannah Martha Cohen Banks unpacks Jesus' celebration of Passover. We'll focus on the "New Covenant" made at the first communion table and learn about the exodus Jesus leads into the unfurling Kingdom of God.

In Luke 21 Jesus points towards some events that will take place in what is commonly called the ‘End Times’. This can be a confusing and sometimes frightening theme as we look towards an uncertain future, but the hope and promise of Jesus provides great joy and certainty. In this message, Pastor Chris teaches us through this challenging chapter and brings clarity to this important part of our Christian walk.

Pastor Olu continues our series, "So Our Hearts Will Burn," where a tiny man named Zaccheus, seeking to see Jesus, has a life-altering encounter. The profound transformation we so earnestly crave comes through seeking Jesus rather than spectating from a distance. We will discover that while God honors and even desires intensity in our pursuit of Him, it is no match for God's relentless pursuit of us. When we seek Him, we find He's been after us the whole time, leaning towards our direction, calling us by name, and requesting access to the intimate places we cherish! Listen in as we unpack the biblical promise in James 4:6, "draw near to God, and He will draw near to you."

We're making a worship album and doing the live recording on Sunday, April 28! Listen to this brief interview between Pastor Chris and our Worship Director, David Virgo, about our heart for this project.You can support this project here: https://ppay.co/tVhv_737M1w

In this message Pastor Chris teaches from two stories; Jesus calming the storm and the healing of the man possessed by demons. The stories themselves are compelling and tell us a lot about who Jesus is declaring himself to be, but what's also interesting is the response that is given. Fear. What is the role of fear in our lives? How do we learn to walk in Godly fear, without being controlled by the fear of man?

Pastor Jon Stallsmith, Lead Pastor at Grace Snellville in Atlanta, leads us deep into God’s heart for all nations and the work he calls us into to make disciples of all nations. We also hear from a Palestinian believer about God's heart for those suffering in Gaza right now and what we can learn from them.

Kingdom Community; In this message, Pastor Banning Liebscher, founder of the Jesus Culture movement and church in Sacramento, California, teaches on the foundational nature that community plays in the lives of a follower of Jesus and how we truly can't grow as disciples without it!

In this message, Pastor Chris teaches from Luke chapter 9, the story of the Mount of Transfiguration. What do we learn about the true nature, identity, and mission of Jesus in this encounter? And how can we as followers be sure that we’re giving our lives to the true God?

In this message, Pastor Chris explores Luke 3 and the life, ministry, and message of John the Baptist. What is the message that he taught? Why was it so radical in its day and why is it so relevant to us today? The life of John the Baptist should challenge and inform us, even today.

In this message, Pastor Holly leads us through the one story in the Bible that mentions Jesus as a child, and we discover what it really means to be a child of a loving Father and to have faith like a child. *Note: If knowing God as a Good Father or thinking about being a child is hard for you, then we highly recommend this message. We believe the gentleness and compassion of God will meet you exactly where you are and as you are. 

In this week's sermon, Pastor Olu starts a new series titled "So Our Hearts Will Burn: The Journey of Jesus through Luke." Beginning with chapter one, we focus on two people who have similar radical encounters with God — encounters that will unveil the fulfillment of promises that prophets of old have long awaited and will ultimately shape the course of eternity. We will discover that though Zechariah and Mary had had similar encounters, they each had different heart postures. Heaven is on the move, drawing near. What will be your posture? Will it be cynicism fueled by past disappointments or holy curiosity and surrender?

At times it can feel selfish or even childish to ask God for more as we follow him. But what if the pursuit of greater intimacy with Jesus is central to our spiritual health? What if that pursuit is something God isn’t offended by us asking for, but rather waiting for us to ask of Him? In this message, Pastor Chris unpacks our GCC 2024 ‘Word for the Year’ and teaches on what it means to pursue ‘more’ in our relationship with Christ. 

In this message Pastor Chris teaches on the beauty of 'The Word dwelling among us', and the miracle we celebrate at Christmas. That God is not a distant deity in the sky, but has made His dwelling with us, which is something we never should lose sight of.

In our SALT series finale, Pastor Holly takes us through Jesus’ concluding words in His Sermon on the Mount about “entering through the narrow gate” and what that means for us today. She leads us through questions like: Why is the gate narrow? What doesn’t fit through the gate? What, or better yet, who, does fit through the gate? and What does it mean for us to be the salt of the earth?

In the Sermon on the Mount Jesus teaches us it is our treasure that will truly tell us where our heart is.  Revealing what we spend our time, talent, and money on is the true indicator of what we love and what we most deeply care about. Fortunately, the Bible also gives us an important spiritual discipline to orient our finances around that can help us be sure we keep God on the throne at all times. 

How do we know whether someone is a true or false leader, teacher, or disciple? In this message, Pastor Holly dives into Matthew 7 and shows us that it's not about judgment, but discernment. Ultimately teaching us that the best way to know what is true is to experientially know and have a relationship with The One Who Is Truth, to study the real thing, look for the Fruit, and listen to the Father.