"Growing In Grace" - a Podcast of Gracehills Church

Episode 39 – Boldness in a Culture of Compromise In this episode of Growing in Grace , Pastor Brandon and Matt dig into Acts 24, where Paul boldly defends the gospel in front of Governor Felix. In a culture quick to blur theological truth with political controversy, Paul's unwavering stance on righteousness, self-control, and judgment challenges us to live with gospel integrity—no matter the cost....

Episode 38: When Suffering Is a Catalyst In this episode of Growing in Grace , Pastor Brandon walks us through Acts 23 and Paul's powerful example of obedience and endurance under pressure. We discuss what it means to suffer with Jesus, not just for Him, and how pain can become a catalyst for spiritual growth and gospel impact. Whether you're in a season of comfort or hardship, this conversation c...

Episode 37: All Things to All People – Living the Gospel Above Preferences In this episode of Growing in Grace , Matt and Pastor Brandon reflect on Paul's visit to Jerusalem in Acts 21, where he chooses to lay down his preferences in order to build bridges—not barriers—for the sake of the gospel. Though Paul was free in Christ, he willingly participated in Jewish purification rituals to preserve u...

Episode 36: Your Yes on the Table – Trusting God When Obedience Costs You In this episode of Growing in Grace , Matt and Pastor Brandon dive into Acts 21 and the powerful example of Paul's obedience—even when following God's will meant walking straight into suffering. Despite warnings from well-meaning friends and the certainty of hardship ahead, Paul chose surrender over safety. Together, they ex...

Episode 35: Shepherd the Flock – Leading with Conviction and Compassion In this episode of Growing in Grace , Matt and Pastor Brandon unpack Paul's heartfelt farewell to the Ephesian elders in Acts 20:26–38. In it, Paul outlines five qualities of faithful church leadership: proclaiming the truth, protecting the flock, prioritizing God's Word, practicing selfless service, and forming deep personal...

Episode 34: Run the Race – Living with Purpose, Finishing with Faith In this episode of Growing in Grace , Matt and Pastor Brandon dive into Paul's farewell to the Ephesian elders in Acts 20—a passage rich with urgency, humility, and purpose. Using the metaphor of running a race, Paul reflects on what it means to live a faithful life, even when the journey is hard. Together, they unpack five key t...

Episode 33: Faith That Stirs the City – Living Boldly in a Comfortable World In this episode of Growing in Grace , Matt is joined again by elder Mike Davis to unpack the second half of Acts 19, where Paul's preaching in Ephesus creates not just revival—but resistance. As the gospel spreads, it begins to disrupt the city's economy, values, and idols, ultimately sparking a riot led by Demetrius the...

Episode 32: Faith That Disrupts – Living Changed in a Comfortable World In this episode of Growing in Grace , Matt is joined by Gracehills elder Mike Davis to reflect on Paul's ministry in Ephesus from Acts 19. From public repentance and burned scrolls to cultural upheaval, this passage reveals the kind of faith that doesn't just sit quietly—it transforms lives and challenges norms. Mike and Matt...

Episode 31: Almost Right – Why Discipleship Matters More Than You Think In this episode of Growing in Grace , Matt and Pastor Brandon dive into Acts 18 and 19 to explore a critical truth: salvation is not the finish line—it's the starting point of a life of discipleship. Through the examples of Apollos and the disciples of John the Baptist, we see how being almost right in our beliefs can still le...

Episode 30: Strength for the Weary – How God Meets Us When We Want to Quit In this episode of Growing in Grace , Matt and Pastor Brandon walk through Acts 18, where Paul—worn down and discouraged in Corinth—experiences God's providential strength through people, promises, progress, and protection. This conversation unpacks how God shows up when we feel like giving up and reminds us that if we're s...

Episode 29: The Unknown God – Engaging Culture Without Compromising Truth In this episode of Growing in Grace , Matt and Pastor Brandon explore Paul's bold encounter with the people of Athens in Acts 17:16–34. Surrounded by idols and spiritual confusion, Paul steps into the cultural heart of the city—not with condemnation, but with compassion and clarity. They discuss how modern believers can foll...

Episode 28 – Boldness, Opposition, and the Berean Spirit In this episode of Growing in Grace , Matt and Pastor Brandon explore Acts 17:1–15, where Paul and Silas continue their missionary journey through Thessalonica and Berea. They face strong opposition—but also find people eager to hear and examine the Scriptures. What do we do when truth is met with hostility? How do we maintain boldness witho...

Episode 27: Worship in the Chains – When the Mission Doesn't Go as Planned In this powerful episode of Growing in Grace , Matt and Pastor Brandon take a deeper look at Acts 16, where Paul and Silas find themselves beaten, imprisoned, and seemingly stuck—yet still worshiping. This conversation unpacks how God often does His greatest work through our hardest moments and how what feels like a setback...

Episode 26: Conflict & Calling – When the Mission Gets Messy In this powerful episode of Growing in Grace , Matt and Pastor Brandon unpack Acts 15–16, where conflict and calling collide in the early church. Paul and Barnabas—two spiritual giants—go their separate ways, but instead of derailing the mission, God uses the moment to multiply it. This conversation explores how disagreements, closed doo...

Episode 25: Jesus Plus Nothing – Embracing the Radical Simplicity of Grace In this episode of Growing in Grace , Matt and Pastor Brandon dive into Acts 15 and unpack one of the most pivotal moments in church history—the decision to stand firm on the truth that we are saved by grace alone through faith in Christ. They explore the subtle and not-so-subtle ways believers still fall into the trap of a...

Discipleship in Every Season – Growing in Grace and Truth In this episode of Growing in Grace , we dive deeper into what it truly means to be a disciple of Jesus. Discipleship isn't just about learning—it's about transformation. We'll explore how God's grace equips us to grow in faith, follow Jesus more closely, and disciple others in every season of life. Join us as we discuss: How discipleship g...

Episode 23: The Power of Gathering – Why the Church Matters   In this episode of Growing in Grace, Matt and Pastor Brandon dive into the importance of gathering as a church, reflecting on Acts 2:36-47 and the foundational role of biblical community. They discuss why the Christian life was never meant to be lived in isolation, using the analogy of a coal removed from fire growing cold to illustrate...

Episode 22: Reaching Muslims with the Love of Christ – A Conversation with Samya from Call of Love Ministries In this special episode of Growing in Grace , Matt and Pastor Brandon sit down with Samya, co-founder of Call of Love Ministries, to discuss the powerful work of reaching Muslims with the gospel. Samya shares her incredible testimony of growing up in war-torn Lebanon, overcoming deep-seate...

Episode 21: The Great Commission – Why Every Church Must Be All In In this episode of Growing in Grace , Matt and Pastor Brandon are joined by special guest Kevin McGhee, a missionary with Converge, to discuss why missions and the Great Commission are essential for every church. Kevin shares powerful insights on the global need for the gospel, his work with the Deaf Catalyst Team, and how churches...

Episode 20: The Heart of Giving – Stewardship, Generosity, and Trusting God In this episode of Growing in Grace , Matt and Pastor Brandon wrap up the Commands of Christ series by diving into one of the most challenging yet rewarding aspects of faith: giving. Building on the latest sermon at Gracehills Church, they explore biblical principles of stewardship, generosity, and financial obedience. Pas...

Episode 19: The Lord's Supper – Remembering, Anticipating, and Living in Christ In this episode of Growing in Grace , Matt and Pastor Brandon dive deeper into the significance of the Lord's Supper, building on the latest sermon at Gracehills Church. They explore how communion connects us to the past, present, and future—remembering Christ's sacrifice, anticipating His return, and embracing His ong...

Episode 18: Persevering Through Trials – Worship Over Worry In this episode of Growing in Grace , Matt and Pastor Brandon explore what it means to persevere through trials with worship, drawing from James 1. They discuss how followers of Christ should expect hardships, but rather than responding with worry, we are called to endure with joy, understanding that trials strengthen our faith and make u...

Episode 17: Love Without Limits – The Call to Radical Compassion In this episode of Growing in Grace , Matt and Pastor Brandon explore Jesus' command to love, diving deeper into the parable of the Good Samaritan in Luke 10:25-37. They discuss how true, Christ-like love transcends cultural, social, and personal barriers, challenging us to love without conditions. Using real-life examples, including...

Episode 16: Go and Make Disciples – Answering the Call In this episode of Growing in Grace , Matt and Pastor Brandon dive into Jesus' Great Commission to make disciples, building on the recent sermon that highlighted John 4 and the Samaritan woman's transformative encounter with Christ. They discuss the challenges of discipleship and evangelism, exploring how to overcome fear, cultural barriers, a...

Episode 15: Teach Us to Pray – Aligning Our Hearts with God In this episode of Growing in Grace , Matt and Pastor Brandon explore the foundational command of Christ to pray, diving deeper into the insights from Gracehills Church's latest sermon. Drawing from Matthew 6, they discuss the importance of approaching prayer with humility and sincerity, emphasizing that God cares more about the attitude...