Center Grace Church Podcast

This week, Matt sits down with Pastor Derek to discuss the function of spiritual gifts. They also examine the suspension of Pastor Zachary Garris, exploring how presbyteries address disciplinary matters within their church polity. The conversation concludes with a practical discussion on relating to someone who is repeatedly disrespectful, including the important distinction between forgiveness and trust.   Check us out on YouTube: https://youtu.be/uuHaYvFRV3E  

Text: Ephesians 4:1-16 Preacher: Derek Baker

Text: Ephesians 4:7-16 Preacher: Derek Baker

This week, Matt asks Pastor Derek to dive deeper into the current sermon series. They discuss finding identity in worldly things versus belonging to Christ, and explore how belonging to Christ impacts both our work and the way we relate to others.   Check us out on YouTube: https://youtu.be/gagyU7G-400  

Text: Ephesians 4:1-10 Preacher: Derek Baker

This week Matt sits down with Pastor Derek, and they start by digging into how dangerous gossip is to the unity of the church — why it does so much damage and how easily it creeps in. From there, the conversation turns to denominationalism, and Derek walks through both the good and the bad of it. They wrap up with a look at what spiritual gifts actually are, previewing the new sermon series.   Check us out on YouTube: https://youtu.be/6Wgzqee0u8A   Check out the relating sermon: https://youtube.com/live/O5V0KWG7InM  

Text: Ephesians 4: 1-16 Preacher: Derek Baker

Text: Acts 2:14-41 Preacher: T.I. Atkins

Text: Proverbs 24:16; Jude 24-25 Preacher: Gene Heacock, Pastor of First Congregational Church of Boxford

As the elders invite the church into a time of prayer and fasting this weekend (May 2nd), in light of potential Mission Work in Boxford with First Congregational Church, Matt sits down with Pastor Derek to discuss all things fasting—what it is, what it isn't, and practical guidance for getting started. Together, they explore how to choose what to fast from and what makes Christian fasting distinct from other religions and cultural practices.   Check us out on YouTube! https://youtu.be/W2ud_HooYrg  

Text: Luke 17:11-19 Preacher: Derek Baker

Text: Luke 24:36-52 Preacher: Derek Baker

This week, Matt sits down with Pastor Derek to explore the question, “Did God really seek to kill Moses?” As they unpack this, they discuss the recurring theme of God's provision throughout Scripture and how it ultimately points to Christ. The conversation also examines the distinction between God's sovereign will and His revealed will. They conclude with a discussion on how to read Scripture, along with book recommendations in response to a follow-up question from the missions conference.   Check us out on YouTube: https://youtu.be/OXlByN9o-4M?si=DZIXAhcqNcnGJsMu    

Text: Luke 24: 13-35 Preacher: Derek Baker

This week Matt sits down with Pastor Derek to talk about some Catholic beliefs that differ from our theology — including purgatory — before Derek breaks down what he meant by "damnable good deeds" and the common pitfalls around works and salvation. They wrap up with a conversation about feeling uncomfortable in God's presence when asking for forgiveness.   Check us out on Youtube! https://youtu.be/CJWwd7V1NHc  

Text: Luke 24:1-12 Preacher: Derek Baker

Text: Luke 22:14-23 Preacher: Derek Baker

After a long hiatus, Matt rejoins Pastor Derek for a wide-ranging conversation about faith in the modern world. In today's episode, Matt brings some questions that many believers wrestle with — starting with the tension between staying and reforming versus leaving a denomination when it seems to drift theologically. From there, they tackle one of the most delicate balancing acts in ministry and everyday witness: how do you keep the gospel clear and accessible to people around you, without letting cultural pressures reshape it into something unrecognizable? Finally, the conversation turns to the very practical challenge of holding onto your faith as you step into secular spaces — work, culture, friendships — where Christian convictions are increasingly under fire.   Check us out on YouTube: https://youtu.be/Ctb1dLrmqzE

Text: Luke 22: 14-23 Preacher: Derek Baker

Text: Luke 18: 18-30 Preacher: Derek Baker

Text: Luke 15:1-10 Preacher: Derek Baker

Text: Isaiah 6:1-8 Preacher: Shohei Ueki

Text: Luke 8: 26-39 Preacher: Derek Baker

Text: Luke 7:36-50 Preacher: Derek Baker

Text: Luke 7:18-35 Preacher: Derek Baker

Text: Luke 7:11-17 Preacher: Derek Baker

This short episode offers a concise, pastoral overview of the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA), explaining who they are, where they came from, and why the denomination exists. Pastor Derek traces the PCA's formal founding in 1973 to concerns among orthodox Presbyterians in the former Presbyterian Church in the United States who believed core doctrines were being compromised—especially the authority and inerrancy of Scripture, the uniqueness of Christ, the reality of the resurrection, and the necessity of evangelism. He explains how theological liberalism and an emphasis on the social gospel, detached from gospel proclamation, led leaders to conclude that reform from within was no longer possible. The episode highlights the PCA's mission to be faithful to Scripture, true to the Reformed faith, and obedient to the Great Commission, and briefly describes the denomination's growth, global reach, and commitment to church planting and missions through the denomination-wide ministries of Mission to North America and Mission to the World.

Text: Luke 5:12-26 Preacher: Derek Baker

Text: Luke 5:1-11 Preacher: Derek Baker

Sermon Text: Luke 4: 14-30 Preacher: Derek Baker

In this episode of the Ask Us Anything podcast, Pastor Derek responds to three listener questions. First, he explores whether Satan's temptation of Jesus in the wilderness was a physical encounter or a more internal, spiritual assault, concluding that Scripture doesn't specify—but emphasizing that the key truth is Christ's victorious endurance of temptation on our behalf. Second, he addresses whether Christians can build physical “altars” or memorials (such as cairns or stones of remembrance) to mark God's faithfulness, affirming their biblical roots while warning against allowing such symbols to become idols that replace true worship of Christ, the ultimate cornerstone. Finally, he tackles the culturally charged issue of childhood vaccines, arguing that Scripture places this question in the category of wisdom rather than morality, calling believers to make informed decisions shaped by common grace, humility, love, and charity toward one another rather than judgment or cynicism. #AskUsAnything #ChristianPodcast #BiblicalWisdom #EncounteringJesus #TemptationOfJesus #Luke4 #SpiritualWarfare #Ebenezer #GodsFaithfulness #ChristianLiving #FaithAndWisdom #CommonGrace #ChurchQuestions #ChristianDiscipleship #GraceAndTruth #CenterGraceChurch #ReformedTheology #FaithInCulture

Text: Luke 4:1-13 Preacher: Derek Baker

Text: Philippians 4:4-7 Preacher: Bryan Loney

Text: Matthew 2:1-12 Preacher: Derek Baker

Text: John 3:16; 2 Corinthians 9:15 Preacher: Derek Baker

Text: Luke 15:1-2, 11-32 Preacher: Derek Baker

Text: Zechariah 3:1-10 Preacher: Derek Baker

Text: Isaiah 55:1-3 Preacher: Derek Baker

Text: Isaiah 11:1-10 Preacher: Derek Baker

Text: Proverbs 3:34, 8:12-13, 11:2, 13:10, 15:25, 33, 16:5, 18-19, 18:12, 21:4, 24, 22:4, 25:6-7, 29:23 Preacher: Derek Baker

Text: Proverbs 5:15-23, 6:20-35, 11:22, 30:18-20, 31:10 Preacher: Derek Baker

Text: Proverbs 3:31-32; 14:30; 23:17; 24:1-2, 19-20; 27:4 Preacher: T.I. Atkins

This episode of the Ask Us Anything podcast explores several deep theological questions tied to the current Proverbs sermon series. Pastor Derek begins by unpacking the personification of wisdom in Proverbs, showing how Lady Wisdom ultimately points to Christ, the divine personification of wisdom. He then addresses the nature of joy, reminding listeners that God's gifts are to be received with gratitude, not avoided out of fear of idolatry—citing C.S. Lewis's “Meditation in a Tool Shed” and 1 Timothy 4. Next, he clarifies the personhood and role of the Holy Spirit in the Trinity, warning against reducing Him to a mere “manifestation” of the Father's will and cautioning against modalism. Finally, he explains why Christians are no longer under the Mosaic Law, emphasizing Paul's teaching in Galatians that the law was never a ladder to righteousness but a guide leading us to Christ and justification by faith alone. #ProverbsWisdom #ChristianPodcast #AskUsAnything #JesusIsWisdom #HolySpiritTeaching #JoyAndGratitude #SevenDeadlySins #FaithOverLaw #GraceNotWorks #BiblicalTeaching #SinnerGraceChurch #Galatians3 #CSPodcast #BibleStudy

Text: Proverbs 13:25; 16:26; 21:17; 23:1-5, 20-21, 29-35; 25:16; 28:7 Preacher: Derek Baker

After a brief discussion about the challenges of introversion, this episode examines Paul's authority to judge unrepentant sin in 1 Corinthians 5, highlighting that biblical discipline is restorative, not punitive. It then explores the doctrine of hell as self-chosen separation from God, using both Jesus's teaching on Gehenna and C.S. Lewis's imagery. Pastor Derek next clarifies the meaning of baptism and the Lord's Supper as tangible means of grace. A listener question about Neo-Calvinism prompts discussion of Kuyper's “every square inch” theology and how it calls believers to integrate faith into all of life, while maintaining a gospel-centered humility. The episode concludes with reflections on prayer, noting that unanswered petitions often reveal God's deeper work of shaping our trust and dependence on Him.

Text: Proverbs  14:17, 29-30; 15:1, 18; 16:32; 19:11, 19; 25:21-22, 28; 29:8, 11, 22 Preacher: Derek Baker

In this episode, Pastor Derek explores key theological questions about wisdom, morality, and the power of speech through the lens of Solomon's life, Jesus's teachings, and the Psalms. He explains that biblical wisdom is dynamic—not a permanent status—and that Solomon, though wise, lacked consistent moral integrity. Integrity, he notes, is about wholeness and honesty before God rather than sinlessness. The discussion then turns to the power of words: while words can be violent when used to harm, speaking truth in love is central to Christian character. Jesus modeled this balance perfectly, combining truth and grace even when confronting sin. The episode concludes with reflections on imprecatory psalms, emphasizing that believers must entrust judgment to God, praying either for their enemies' repentance or for divine justice—always with love rather than vengeance.

Text: Proverbs 10:8, 11, 18-21; 11:9; 12:18, 22; 13:3; 15:1, 2, 4, 28, 30; 16:3, 23-24, 27-28; 18:4, 6-7, 21 Preacher: Derek Baker

Text: Proverbs 6:6-9, 10:4-5, 12:27, 13:4, 19:24, 20:4, 21:25, 24:30-34, 26:13-16 Preacher: Derek Baker

Text: Proverbs 3:5-6; 11:3; 12:5, 15; 15:22; 16:1-4, 9, 25, 33; 19:21;  21:5; 27:1 Preacher: Derek Baker

Text:Proverbs 9 :1-6, 10-11, 13-18 Preacher: Derek Baker