GraceLife Sarasota

My 1st season as a head HS football coach, we were a brand-new program. We were motivated, practiced hard. But I really had no way of knowing how my team measured up until we played our first opponent. The night before, was sleepless, nervous, but in humble confidence we were ready to find out who we were. Game time was judgement time, to see what kind of team we had While I was nervous, I was als...

My 1st season as a head HS football coach, we were a brand-new program. We were motivated, practiced hard. But I really had no way of knowing how my team measured up until we played our first opponent. The night before, was sleepless, nervous, but in humble confidence we were ready to find out who we were. Game time was judgement time, to see what kind of team we had While I was nervous, I was als...

Do you ever struggle with doubt about your faith in Jesus. Is heaven real? Is all this Jesus stuff legit? Is the promise of eternity w/God worthy of the sacrifices necessary for us to be a true disciple of Jesus? What if there was a way we could be reassured, even in moments of doubt, that our Jesus is reliable? What if that assurance was tied to real suffering, not suffering because of our sin, b...

Do you ever struggle with doubt about your faith in Jesus. Is heaven real? Is all this Jesus stuff legit? Is the promise of eternity w/God worthy of the sacrifices necessary for us to be a true disciple of Jesus? What if there was a way we could be reassured, even in moments of doubt, that our Jesus is reliable? What if that assurance was tied to real suffering, not suffering because of our sin, b...

Preparing for future trouble is very important for many people. Doomsday prepping is a huge industry. Full kits, structures, supplies… I secretly want them all, but not out of fear, because of its cool stuff. When you are warned to prepare for a potential “disaster”, are you a sense of urgency person or a procrastinator? When hurricanes approach, do you buy 4 bottles of water, or do you buy a gene...

Preparing for future trouble is very important for many people. Doomsday prepping is a huge industry. Full kits, structures, supplies… I secretly want them all, but not out of fear, because of its cool stuff. When you are warned to prepare for a potential “disaster”, are you a sense of urgency person or a procrastinator? When hurricanes approach, do you buy 4 bottles of water, or do you buy a gene...

After 14 weeks in 1 Peter, if you’re like me, you’ve been deeply challenged about you responsibilities as a Royal priest. Always proclaiming, living w/integrity, & industry… always passionate, ready, & gentle, always seeking peace? Do you feel some frustration over inconsistencies for these daily spiritual responsibilities, how hard it really is? Like me do you struggle with other passions constan...

After 14 weeks in 1 Peter, if you’re like me, you’ve been deeply challenged about you responsibilities as a Royal priest. Always proclaiming, living w/integrity, & industry… always passionate, ready, & gentle, always seeking peace? Do you feel some frustration over inconsistencies for these daily spiritual responsibilities, how hard it really is? Like me do you struggle with other passions constan...

It’s hard to preach todays passage without chasing rabbit trails, but we are going to try to stick to the text today. Have you ever met someone so immersed in their job, their work, nothing around them can distract them? What’s look like when a Christian is so transformed by the work of Jesus they are fully immersed in the priesthood? What if Christians… you… could be this immersed in the Kingdom?...

It’s hard to preach todays passage without chasing rabbit trails, but we are going to try to stick to the text today. Have you ever met someone so immersed in their job, their work, nothing around them can distract them? What’s look like when a Christian is so transformed by the work of Jesus they are fully immersed in the priesthood? What if Christians… you… could be this immersed in the Kingdom?...

We've been talking about this priesthood now for 12 weeks, proclaiming integrity, and industry. Its hard being a good priest in this world consistently but that's what we're called to do. Called to be passionate, ready, and to respond to a hostile world with gentleness, when the temptation is to fight back. We have many things competing for our passions, especially as we pursue bios. I have a stor...

We've been talking about this priesthood now for 12 weeks, proclaiming integrity, and industry. Its hard being a good priest in this world consistently but that's what we're called to do. Called to be passionate, ready, and to respond to a hostile world with gentleness, when the temptation is to fight back. We have many things competing for our passions, especially as we pursue bios. I have a stor...

Have you ever heard someone say, “I am blessed”? or “Life is good” What do they mean when they say that? Maybe it’s a job you love, financial security, a material goal like your dream car, dream house… That’s good stuff, right? Maybe its living life to its fullest. YOLO! Beautiful vacations, memorable experiences, food, sex, substance abuse. Maybe political victory, moral self-righteousness, cultu...

Have you ever heard someone say, “I am blessed”? or “Life is good” What do they mean when they say that? Maybe it’s a job you love, financial security, a material goal like your dream car, dream house… That’s good stuff, right? Maybe its living life to its fullest. YOLO! Beautiful vacations, memorable experiences, food, sex, substance abuse. Maybe political victory, moral self-righteousness, cultu...

In the last few passages, Peter constructs a funnel of relationships. Government at the top, then society & workplace. Today is the narrow end of the funnel, in the home, with husbands and wives. Success in every relationship in the funnel requires two things: Honor/Submission, & Cherish. Submission has such a negative connotation, doesn’t it? Especially when we believe people don’t deserve it. Ha...

In the last few passages, Peter constructs a funnel of relationships. Government at the top, then society & workplace. Today is the narrow end of the funnel, in the home, with husbands and wives. Success in every relationship in the funnel requires two things: Honor/Submission, & Cherish. Submission has such a negative connotation, doesn’t it? Especially when we believe people don’t deserve it. Ha...

Are you ever outraged by injustice? Especially when you or your cause are the victim of that injustice? In 7th grade, riding the bus to school, I got blamed for punching the kind behind me. I was outraged! Unfair! School bus justice was a travesty! I set out that day w/one goal! To fix society on that bus! No… I knew I didn’t want to walk 4 miles to school, so I just took the hit, moved right behi...

Are you ever outraged by injustice? Especially when you or your cause are the victim of that injustice? In 7th grade, riding the bus to school, I got blamed for punching the kind behind me. I was outraged! Unfair! School bus justice was a travesty! I set out that day w/one goal! To fix society on that bus! No… I knew I didn’t want to walk 4 miles to school, so I just took the hit, moved right behi...

Over the last 5 years, there’s been a 210% increase in deadly riots, looting, & mob violence in USA & across the world. Not just an American problem, violence & destruction fueled by economics, elections, COVID restrictions, social justice. Paris 3x, Russia, Hong Kong, Australia, South Africa, Poland, Brazil, Sweden, Venezuela, Iran Bangladesh, N. Ireland, India, Brussels, Honduras, Nigeria, Ecuad...

Over the last 5 years, there’s been a 210% increase in deadly riots, looting, & mob violence in USA & across the world. Not just an American problem, violence & destruction fueled by economics, elections, COVID restrictions, social justice. Paris 3x, Russia, Hong Kong, Australia, South Africa, Poland, Brazil, Sweden, Venezuela, Iran Bangladesh, N. Ireland, India, Brussels, Honduras, Nigeria, Ecuad...

Pedro is president & founder of Urban Youth Justice, a dynamic outreach to teens across the southeast in the juvenile justice system. A member of GraceLife Sarasota, Pedro has a compelling redemption story and a powerful message about the importance of discipleship, especially among society's most neglected.

Pedro is president & founder of Urban Youth Justice, a dynamic outreach to teens across the southeast in the juvenile justice system. A member of GraceLife Sarasota, Pedro has a compelling redemption story and a powerful message about the importance of discipleship, especially among society's most neglected.

Would you say you are an important part of God’s spiritual house, an important part of your church family? What I mean is, are you filling an important role as an intermediary, a conduit for God’s love to others? A conduit for God’s love to one another, and to those outside of our church family? How can we avoid becoming freeloaders in God’s spiritual house? Mostly receiving as opposed to serving?...

Would you say you are an important part of God’s spiritual house, an important part of your church family? What I mean is, are you filling an important role as an intermediary, a conduit for God’s love to others? A conduit for God’s love to one another, and to those outside of our church family? How can we avoid becoming freeloaders in God’s spiritual house? Mostly receiving as opposed to serving?...

What’s the 1st image in your head when you hear the word “church”? buildings, steeples, steel, stage, pulpit? I googled it, 1st result is this def: is a building used for public Christian worship. Stones, bricks, mortar, steel, drywall. “We won't be going back here to church again. The A/C wasn't working right. The seats were uncomfortable. The exterminator hasn't been here in a long time. Childre...