Posts with the category “discipleship”

SERVING OTHERSby Colleen Dykstra Think of a time when someone went out of their way to do something kind for you, a timewhen you were startled by their generosity. This is how we can make people feel ...  Read More

No Quick FixesUsually, there aren’t quick fixes to complicated problems. And any promises of such things should be met with a fair amount of skepticism. At least, that seems to be among the convention...  Read More

A common definition of a parable is “an earthly story with a heavenly meaning” (Barclay & others).Depending on how you evaluate, the Good Book contains somewhere between 40 and 60 parables. Most of th...  Read More

It seems the buzz word for 2020 is “CLARITY,” no doubt inspired by 20/20 perfect vision. I don’t think I’m alone in craving what this word gives. In our increasingly divided culture, fast-paced lives,...  Read More

By Dorian Watson“Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, t...  Read More

Have you ever felt so out of place that you were reminded of being back in middle school? You know that super awkward feeling that you just don’t fit in, and you are way too aware of your every moveme...  Read More

As a mom, I have found that the demands of this very chaotic life have shaken me to evaluate how I manage my days.In Ephesians 5:15-16, Paul urges, “Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but...  Read More

By Brandon Cutshall, Kid City DirectorAt Gospel Community Church, we have families of all types who love God and want to make Him known in their homes. Followers of Jesus will parent with discipleship...  Read More

From Jennifer:“The Women’s Retreat last weekend focused on Isaiah 30, and one verse that resonated with me was verse 15: “For the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel, has said: ‘You will be delivered by ...  Read More

God is doing amazing things all around the world, and we get to be a part of it! Not only do we have our Fall Festival, our next local outreach event, coming on October 31, we have also been sharing s...  Read More

God is moving at College Hill: this has been the recurring theme since the beginning of our merger process a little over a year ago, and it was the overwhelming takeaway from our block party held last...  Read More

By Abby Barr, Director of OperationsI’ve found that the older I get the more forgetful I become. Just as my life has become more complicated and packed than ever, my mind has also become sleep-deprive...  Read More

“We know that we have passed from death to life because we love our brothers and sisters.”1 John 3:14From death to life: this is the story of those who have received the good news about Jesus. Every l...  Read More

As a 21st century, American culture, we have become obsessed with food and image. It takes nothing more than a scroll through social media or a walk down the magazine aisle to see that something is as...  Read More

Written by Jordan StaffordWhen was the last time you sat still, without any distractions, studying Scripture? If we’re being honest, besides occasionally doing a morning devotional, most of us don’t s...  Read More

Written by Dorian WatsonLately, I’ve been meditating on 1 Samuel 17. This chapter gives the account of David and Goliath. The Lord put these scriptures on my heart about a week ago as I was processing...  Read More

Written by Christiana BoyerI love the four seasons of the year because growing up in Houston, Texas, I never really experienced spring and fall…or winter for that matter! I basically just knew hot, fo...  Read More

By Jordan StaffordImagine being so dehydrated after only drinking coffee for three days straight that you change your name to “Dehydrated.” I don’t know about you, but only drinking coffee is 100% som...  Read More

written by Dr. Jim NutterSince late March, our Steadfast class (one of GCR’s Discipleship Communities) has been doing an in depth Bible study of the sayings of Solomon; each week we’ve been reading tw...  Read More

Written by Juan Dugan, D.Min.There is a true wisdom in the way the Old Testament understood love, particularly when it comes to the topic of marriage. This wisdom and depth stands in stark contrast to...  Read More

Written by Dorian Watson, M.A.“And they remembered his words.” Luke 24:8 ESVOur modern American lives can have us running around at a mind-numbing pace. Constantly jumping from one appointment to the ...  Read More

written by Danika Delello“What more could I have done for my vineyard than I did? Why, when I expected a yield of good grapes, did it yield worthless grapes?” Isaiah 5:4In Isaiah chapter five, a song ...  Read More

written by Jordan StaffordWe are sea glass. Let me explain.Broken and shattered bottles tossed aside by undesiring hands create the beautiful sea glass found along many shores. With each pounding wave...  Read More

Written by Danika Delello “God is my helper; the Lord is the sustainer of my life.” Psalm 54:4When the Christians that I know go through trials, I hear many of them talk about how they find their comf...  Read More

written by Becca Bogardus, GCR Communications DirectorAs we study God’s Word, we see the Lord’s ultimate authority and power interlaced throughout Scripture. The Lord is sovereign, all-powerful, trans...  Read More

by Fred Volk, Ph.D.In First Corinthians, the Apostle Paul describes what love is when he states unequivocally that no matter what we have gained in our lives in terms of accomplishments and material w...  Read More

by Juan Dugan, D.Min. – Worship LeaderJoy is a tricky thing. We often hear it described as happiness or a positive outlook, but for anyone who has ever felt joyous, we know it’s more than that. There ...  Read More

by Andrew Moroz, Teaching PastorThanksgiving is only a few weeks away. For most people that means family, friends, and food, and, usually, at least some consideration of things that we’re thankful for...  Read More

by Jennifer Redmond, M.Ed., Communications TeamThis group of leaders is responsible for managing the many awesome volunteers who interact with the children and youth of our church each and every week....  Read More

by Juan Dugan, D.Min. – Worship LeaderWhat if I told you that you’ve completely misunderstood the story of David and Goliath? If you read through I Samuel 17, it appears to be the story of a young boy...  Read More

by Christi-Anna BoyerRecently, a group of 55 women from Gospel Community Rivermont went on a weekend retreat in the heart of the Blue Ridge Mountains. While no one knew exactly what God was going to d...  Read More

by Andrew Moroz, D.Min., Teaching and Outreach PastorFor some, the end of August marks a conclusion (end of Summer, end of break, end of vacation season). For others, the end of August marks the begin...  Read More

by Abby Barr, M.Ed.All of us have areas of our lives where we excel. We are called into roles in which our gifts shine and our weaknesses are minimized. If you’re anything like me, you love spending t...  Read More

by Dorian Watson, M.A.My dad loves jigsaw puzzles, especially ones with 1,000 or more pieces. He recently bought several for us to put together as a family. As we worked on them, I noticed that more t...  Read More

by Juan Dugan, D.Min. – Worship LeaderSometimes we make mistakes. There are the small mistakes, like being late for a meeting or missing a typo in a blog post. These can be embarrassing but aren’t a b...  Read More

by Tyler Cash, Outreach MinisterRelationships are funny sometimes. When I think about the circumstances that led Sasha (my wife) and I together, I can’t help but laugh. Never in a million years would ...  Read More

by Christi-Anna Boyer, Women’s Ministry CoordinatorWho was your first childhood friend? What made that person your friend? Maybe it was the good times you had together, or risks you took together, or ...  Read More

by Andrew Moroz, D.Min., Teaching and Outreach PastorHappy Fourth of July!Fourth of July is a celebration of freedom and democracy. But with freedom comes great responsibility. The freedom that has be...  Read More

by Ashley S. Davis, M.A., Resident in Counseling, Rivermont Counseling LLCWhen I think about practicing Sabbath, it can feel overwhelming, and if I’m honest, downright unrealistic. While a part of me ...  Read More

by Ashley S. Davis, M.A., Resident in Counseling, Rivermont Counseling LLCWhen I think about practicing Sabbath, it can feel overwhelming, and if I’m honest, downright unrealistic. While a part of me ...  Read More