“First, do no harm.” You might recognize this as part of the Hippocratic Oath that doctors must take, but it’s an ethic that could easily be applied to all sorts of professions, not the least of which is the Church.

The Lord has gifted every Christian to serve the local church by uniquely forming them and equipping them with gifts only they can employ. Therefore, serving in the local church is a biblical and enriching expression of engagement towards the church family the Lord has given you.

This trio of Psalms, all from the mind, heart, and pen of Israel’s King David, has long been seen as summarizing the redemptive ministry of our Messiah, God the Son Incarnate. The themes of these three psalms are often labeled in this way: The Cross (Ps. 22), The (Shepherd’s) Crook (Ps. 23), and The Crown (Ps. 24) signifying Christ’s redemptive work as the Redeemer who died, the Shepherd who leads, and the King of Glory who rules over all.

We can all tell when someone does something nice for us out of obligation, rather than personal choice. They can dress it up with kind words and plastered-on smiles, but the veneer of contrived kindness is see-through. And few things taint kind actions and words like the stink of coercion.

Ask anyone “What is the Kingdom of God?” and you’re likely to get responses ranging from “What do you mean by ‘Kingdom’?” to any of a number of wide-ranging options presented and defended by professional theologians and preachers. Given that the subject is complex, hotly debated, and often controversial, my hope here is to simply present a broad understanding of God’s sovereign rule overall and suggest that there are several expressions of that Kingdom which testify to his power and grace.

As a freshman in college, I remember sitting in History of American Music, a remedial survey class, surrounded by fellow aspiring music majors chatting and getting to know one another as we anticipated the bell to initiate our first session. As class began and without warning, the instructor entered, hushed us, fired up the speakers, and turned down the lights. After a moment of scratchy static, we were immersed in the metallic sliding and plucking of an acoustic guitar accompanying the melancholy vocals of Robert Johnson. With the remaining time, we explored the ins and outs of the musical genre we came to know as the blues.

Good Friday gives us the opportunity to reflect upon the effectual work of the atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the cross at Calvary. It is always a sobering evening as we consider the weight of sin and the suffering that provided the only pathway for reconciliation with a holy God.

Today, when we think of the Gospel, we most often turn to the cross. In fact, the cross has become the symbol of faith in Jesus and Christianity in general. But for the men who were first charged with the privilege of proclaiming the Good News of the Kingdom of God, it was the empty tomb, the miraculous resurrection of Jesus of Nazareth, that took center stage.

I can remember back in 1994 when, for the first time, a family asked the question “Will you be holding services on Christmas since it falls on a Sunday?” When I assured them we would be gathering for worship, their response was “O good! We’ll be there!”

God never intended his people to live in isolation. The Scriptures only present a picture of Christians living in community. In the Bible, to love God is to love and be connected to His church.

We believe that God the Spirit was sent by the Father and the Son to glorify Jesus Christ. He has several titles and names in Scripture, many indicating aspects of His function and ministry such as Helper, Comforter, and Intercessor.

We believe that every church has a deeply rooted responsibility to the next generation. It's our mission, then, to raise up the next generation of worshippers and worship leaders.

Every Sunday morning, we conclude our gatherings with a benediction. The practice of benediction has its roots in the Old Testament – it is a pronouncement of God's blessing on His people.

Every first Sunday of the month, the family of Grace Baptist Church takes time to celebrate the communal meal known as The Lord's Supper, sometimes referred to as The Lord’s Table or Communion.

In every Christian tradition, there is generally a time in the gathering for giving an offering. Here at Grace Baptist, this usually comes between our time of corporate singing and the sermon.

A bilingual service is one where two languages are spoken and sung. Here at Grace Baptist, we have a thriving Spanish Ministry representing 15 Spanish-speaking countries, which meets in the Conference Center on Sundays.

We baptize followers of Jesus because He commanded his followers to be baptized, by his authority, and in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. (Matthew 28:18-20)

Scripture commands the church to sing “psalms and hymns and spiritual songs” (Col. 3:16) together as one of our acts of corporate worship. These different kinds of music reflect songs that come directly from Scripture (the Book of Psalms), as well as new songs written by the church that reflect the truth of God and the gospel as revealed in Scripture.