Grace Sagola Church

When it comes to God's design for the church, the scriptures will repeatedly use terminology that shapes her purpose as a family.  It is this familial commitment that serves as the scaffold for the rest of the New Testament’s commands for how we are to treat one another. 

God's design for exacting His will upon the earth is the church.  She is to be a redeemed humanity whose members orient their lives after the lead and love of Jesus.  How critical is it for us then, to make sure that we do not allow the "church" to become a sterile institution or a one-hour-a-week service that remains cursory to the multifaceted lives of Christians. We must know God's plan for the...

The church is intended to be cross-cultural, international, and yet somehow singleminded. For all of the complexities between different tribes and traditions, it is the gospel of Jesus Christ that has brought the nations together, so that the life of Christ would be evident upon the earth.  Observations & Conclusions: Purpose – Without Jesus                 – With Jesus    Estrange...

The heart of the gospel is under threat by the deception of human achievement.  Every other religion on earth is an expression of man's attempt to reach divine righteousness, whether through ritual expression, commanded devotion, sacrifices, charity, or societal expectations.  It is Christianity alone, as correctly taught from the scriptures, that reveals the good news of God's saving and transfor...

It is easy, in our world, to undervalue and under-appreciate our faith.  When we are offered so many other pseudo-promises that capture our excitement and anticipation we often fail to truly treasure the greatest gift offered.  Yet it is our hope in God that will determine how we live here and now. 

The letter to the Ephesians is a Masterclass on Christianity.  The Apostle Paul lays out the foundational details for the Christian's calling and purpose on this earth as sourced in God's redeeming work through Jesus Christ.  It is now with an allegiance to Jesus as our exalted Head that the Christian can embrace their God defined purpose according to His will. 

Of all the many things that draw our attention, wonderment, and awe, the pinnacle for the Christian ought to be their own union with Christ.  The "why" of God's mercy, is by design unanswerable, such that meditation of this question ought to humble us - since we are recipients of God's grace, we will be guided in being generous in extending grace to others as well.  

The gathering of Christians for worship has been quite contorted in our world today. Some see it as a checkbox of righteousness, a holy obligation, others are left feeling "let down" if the service doesn't meet their expectations. What is the purpose of God's design of gathering Christians together for worship?

There is a natural rebellious bent to the human spirit; we often resist authority, and fail in our understanding of submission.  Even for the Christian, the residue of subversion often remains, and requires God's Word to teach and instruct us how we are to submit to our governing authorities.  But what should be the Christian's response when our government conflicts with God's Word?  How has Jesus...

“And now , O Israel, what does the Lord your God ask of you but to fear the Lord your God, to walk in all his ways, to love him, to serve the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul, and to observe the Lord’s commands and decrees that I am giving you today for your own good?”   - Deuteronomy 10:12-13

Prayer is, unfortunately, a very misunderstood practice.  Some religions see it as meditation, others as a way of appeasing many gods; some Christians even demonstrate it as little more than simply "sending thoughts".  So, what is the deal with prayer and why has God given it to us?

In a world of retaliation, corruption, and increased division, it is no wonder that we know so little about forgiveness. Truth is, there is much to forgive, not to mention the truly grievous injustices that many have faced, yet we struggle with letting go - even the little offenses.  So, how do we truly forgive?  And why is it expected of Christians? 

Why is it important to go to church? There's a question we've all asked at one time or another.  The answer will come down to how we understand what the church is, and how God has designed our role in the church?

The whole goal behind evangelism is discipleship. And evangelism that fails to move towards making disciples is only making converts.  But what is a disciple, and what does it mean to truly "follow" Jesus? 

The bible reveals a surprisingly interconnect design to evangelism.  It isn’t just those who are missionaries who are called to be invested in the work of spreading the gospel.  God desires the whole church to cooperate; everyone has a mission. 

Today we are going to continue our series on evangelism and specifically, dealing with repentance. We are going to be studying out of the book of Acts. Paul was on the missions field in Athens and found himself in the middle of the Areopagus delivering a sermon which we can now read in chapter 17 verses 22-31 if you could turn there with me.

When it comes to our collective witness as God's people, God has designed our gatherings to be a redeemed platform for preaching the results of God's grace as evidenced in how we conduct ourselves with one anther.  This is intended by God to be most evident of all whenever we celebrate the Lord's Supper. 

When we think of evangelism, rarely do we link our commission from God to the ascension of Jesus.  However, it is precisely Jesus' ascension that both leads to our equipping for evangelism and substantiates the necessary precondition for why Christians are left on earth as witnesses.

When it comes to sharing the good news, we must establish that there is first of all some bad news - good news is only "good" when it is understood as contrast with the bad.  The bad news is that our sins will separate us from God for all eternity in hell, but the good news is that Jesus saves.

Each one of us has been given a story by God to share with the world.  It is a story of God's redeeming love and grace to save us from ourselves and the eternal consequences of sin.

The good news of Jesus Christ has been passed down from generation to generation.  It is not a flowery or eloquent petition, it is not forced with coercion or manipulation, rather the gospel is simply true - the evidence of God's love is demonstrated in this, while we were yet sinners Christ died for us. 

The message of the gospel has been watered down in recent years as we live in a world that increasingly fears offense.  In effort to avoid challenging the false gods of self and desire, evangelism has tried to appeal to the "natural" inclinations of the heart, and in doing so we've drifted away from the message first given by the Apostles.  

We have a story to tell to the nations... the message of Jesus' death and resurrection for our redemption is one that many of us have heard, but few of us are confident in sharing.  Although the message has many different aspects, one main component that is shared by all Christian evangelists is that Jesus is Lord. 

Easter is the pinnacle moment in the church for anchoring our souls no matter the storm or difficulty.  There is no challenge that you will face that God will not solve through RESURRECTION! 

Long before there were offices of professionals, there was the people of God.  And although our society has advanced to have the capacity to treat the most severe cases of mental health, we as the church are still equipped by God to offer a community of care to any and everyone struggling with navigating the soul.