Good Shepherd Gardendale

Throughout the book of James we are discovering the path of seeing what a faith that is active and alive looks like. A faith that allows you to see what a hearer and doer of the words of Jesus looks like. A faith that clings to the cross but also expresses itself in deeds. And today is no different. Today we see how James gives us clarity on how to relate to others with wisdom. That same wisdom th...

What you say has the power to build a life or destroy it. You may think you are spiritual and not self-centered, but your words betray what’s in your heart. In this message, Pastor Dave continues our journey through the Book of James and offers insight on how to filter what you say by trusting the Holy Spirit to guide your heart and manage your mouth. This is Part 6 of our series James: Real Faith...

This morning we tackle one of the toughest and most-debated questions around: How does this combination of faith and works play itself out? Are you saved by faith alone? Are you saved by a combination of faith and works? Can you have a real faith and no works? What is a work? Find out today in Part 5 of our series James: Real Faith. Real Life as we explore: "Faith? Works? How Does it Work?&qu...

The book of James is written to followers of Christ who are scattered and living among people who are different. They talk differently, they were raised differently, and they worshipped different gods. So the question becomes "How Do We Treat People Right" who are different from us? This is Part 4 of our series James: Real Faith. Real Life. May the Lord bless our time together in worship...

What kind of life are you living? Are you living a self-serving life which is all about you and what you want and what you want to accomplish and what you want to do with what you have? Are you living a scattered life which means you are running around like a chicken with your head cut off trying to balance work, school, kids, friends, church, and any other commitment that comes your way? Or are y...

In order to have a real faith that translates into a real life, our understanding of God has to be solid. There are many half-truths and false ideas about God floating around the world. They show up in Tiktok videos and viral soundbites. They are shared by the world but also false preachers and teachers. Today we are going to clear up 3 lies with 3 powerful truths about who God is. This is Part 2...

What do you consider pure joy in your life? A really good steak dinner? A delicious bowl of homemade peach cobbler with ice cream? A quiet trip to the mountains? Or how about some fun in the sun? We all have things that we would consider "pure joy," but trials are not one of them. Going through hard seasons of being tested doesn't make the list. And yet today we are invited by God to...

For the past couple of weeks we have been exploring the impact of devotion upon our lives. We saw in week 1 the importance of the four devotions: apostolic teaching, prayer, breaking of bread, and fellowship. In week 2 we saw the impact of these four devotions as we experience: the awe of God, unity, radical generosity, and a joyous spirit. And now we bring it all together as we see how God takes...

Last week we began our new series DEVOTED as we unpacked the 4 Devotions that are essential to our life in Christ. Those 4 Devotions are: Prayer, the Apostolic Teaching, Breaking of Bread, and Fellowship. This week in Part we will see the impact that these Devotions had on the church. We will see what happens to the church when life is lived this way.

On the day of Pentecost, we see the church come to life as the Holy Spirit poured out on thousands of new Christians. But what made the church so lifegiving and supernatural? What made the church so impactful that it changed the most powerful empire on the planet? What did the church look like as it gathered? This week we begin a brand-new three-part series called "DEVOTED" as we look at...

Sometimes life gets a little chaotic ... ok, sometimes life gets really chaotic. What do you do when life begins to feel out-of-control and scary? Today we are going to look at the Biblical Process you can walk through when life feels out of control.

You don’t want to miss this weekend as we continue our God on Film series with the movie Twisters, what to do when life takes an unexpected turn. The truth is…life is full of unexpected twists: going through a divorce, getting a prognosis of cancer, losing a loved one, suffering a miscarriage or losing your job. What does God have to say to us when we experience these moments in life that catch us...

Pastor Dave shares a report from the National Youth Gathering, the beautiful message of endurance, and the words of our teens who attended the gathering.

Life can be hard. And there are going to be moments where we get "knocked down, but God helps us back up." This weekend we are going to look at what the Bible says about developing resilience, perseverance, and determination. So that even when life gets hard, you can still get back up!

Sometimes we control our emotions. But sometimes our emotions control us. And when that happens…the results aren’t usually that good! This is best seen in the film Inside Out 2, a story of a young girl whose emotions are just starting to come out. THIS weekend we continue our GOD ON FILM teaching series by taking a deep dive into the world of our emotions and how to use them in a godly way.

Sometimes life can feel useless, tiresome, unfulfilling, insignificant, and uncontrollable. When this happens, you stop dreaming and you just start existing. You go through the motions, but don’t know where you are going. This morning, we are going back to the movies with our brand-new edition of God on Film. In this series we will see how God uses film to pose questions that God’s Word has the an...

Today Pastor Dave returns from his sabbatical and wants to share what God has put on his heart over the last 30 days. Being able to disconnect and focus attention on the Lord brings clarity and peace. Today may we celebrate God’s renewing and healing work as Pastor Dave shares his heart to yours!

The story of Pentecost is a powerful reminder of God's great love for us as he poured out the Holy Spirit upon us. That same Spirit then empowers us to use our words to thank and praise His holy name. So this morning, Bob is going to share his heart to yours on why words matter, and how they have the power to build up or to tear down. Happy Pentecost!

Today we celebrate the Ascension of our Lord. We watch in awe and wonder as He heads home to be with His Father, but it is not the end of the story. We welcome Pastor George Murdaugh today, as he shares this message from his heart to ours!

During Habits of a Healthy Heart, we’ve learned how to self-examine. We have learned how to slow down and simplify. We have even learned to embrace sorrow. Every choice we make can have a dramatic impact on our lives. So how do we keep the momentum going and make these habits last? How do we finish the race? How do we stay faithful?

We’ve all done things we regret, and the guilt from our actions can weigh on our minds and hearts. You might even feel like you’re stuck in the past, constantly reliving your mistakes. Imagine what your life would be like if you could finally get rid of the guilt and move forward. Today, let’s explore how to get rid of guilt for good.

God created us to need rest. Even though we’re designed for it, we don’t always want to. With so much demanding our attention, it can even feel impossible. And then rest is complicated when our body stops but our mind keeps going. When our thoughts never seem to slow down and take a chill. How can we make the most of slowing down? This Mother’s Day let’s talk about the Spiritual Habit of slowing d...

You know that drawer or closet – the one that you crack open just enough to stuff something else in? There is a popular saying that less is more, but what about when you feel like you need more to do more? In Part 2 of our series Habits Of A Healthy Heart, we’re learning why less is better and how to apply that truth to our lives. We are going to see how to focus our attention on what matters to G...

In this new series, Habits Of A Healthy Heart, we’ll take a deep breath, make space for God, and allow Him to work in our lives. We will discover how the person we lie to most is ourselves. In part 1 we will explore the habit of self-examination and learn how to be honest with ourselves as God searches our heart and makes us new. Learning to be truthful with ourselves will bring freedom and healin...

In this service for Easter Sunday, we celebrate that the crucified Christ is raised from the dead to new life. In word and song, we contemplate how to live a new life, guided by the risen Christ. The empty tomb is our reminder that God’s Victory over sin, death, and the devil brings about New Life for all of us today. Happy Easter everyone! He is Risen!