Grace Capital City Podcast

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Weekly sermons from Grace Capital City Church in Washington, DC - Joining God in establishing His Kingdom through worship, family & justice.

Grace Capital City Podcast


    • Jun 3, 2025 LATEST EPISODE
    • weekly NEW EPISODES
    • 39m AVG DURATION
    • 346 EPISODES


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    Latest episodes from Grace Capital City Podcast

    Hebrews, A Call to Persevere // The Piercing Word of God

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 3, 2025 38:44


    How do we understand the Word of God? What does it mean for us as followers of Jesus that God has spoken, and also that God is still speaking? In this message Pastor Chris unpacks Hebrews 4 and the nature and revelation of God's Word to us.

    Hebrews; A Call to Persevere // True Rest

    Play Episode Listen Later May 26, 2025 35:19


    How do we experience spiritual rest? In this sermon, Hannah Martha Cohen Banks engages Hebrews 4 to help us define, explore, and experience true rest. 

    Hebrews; A Call to Persevere // Servanthood and Sonship

    Play Episode Listen Later May 19, 2025 44:46


    What does it mean to live as a child of God? In Hebrews 3 we're told that Jesus lived as a son while Moses lived as a servant, how can follow the lead of Jesus and live into our true identity as sons and daughters? Pastor Chris teaches on the nature of sonship and the importance of living out our standing in God.

    Hebrews; A Call to Persevere // The Suffering Savior

    Play Episode Listen Later May 12, 2025 36:46


    In this message from Pastor Olu in Hebrews 2, we explore how Jesus, our suffering Savior, is the Faithful Shepherd who walks with us in our pain. Far from being distant, Christ entered our frailty, broke the power of death, and now helps us in every trial. Only a Savior who has suffered can truly shepherd suffering saints.

    Hebrews; A Call to Persevere // The Supremacy of Jesus

    Play Episode Listen Later May 5, 2025 32:46


    In this message Pastor Chris leads us into our new series in the book of Hebrews and explores why Jesus is so much better then anything we could even imagine.

    Creation Care Sunday // Rev. Caleb Haynes

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 29, 2025 35:26


    In this episode, speaker Rev. Caleb Cray Haynes shares a message at Grace Capital City's Annual Creation Care Sunday. Rev Haynes is a speaker, writer, and advocate on issues of environmental justice for the church at large. For more information on Rev. Haynes' many wonderful contributions, please visit www. calebcrayhaynes.com . For more information on how to get involved with our Creation Care Justice Ministry at GCC, please visit gracecapitalcity.com/justice. 

    Easter Sunday // A Living Hope

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 21, 2025 33:18


    In this message Pastor Chris explores the nature of hope, the beauty of hope and why Jesus Christ himself is our Living Hope.

    Family Palm Sunday // Faith Anderson

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 14, 2025 21:52


    College Director Faith Anderson walks us through Jesus' Triumphant Entry in the Gospel of Mark, reminding us of God's complete vision for salvation through the Prince of Peace.

    Life in the Spirit // Baptism of the Holy Spirit

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 7, 2025 33:12


    In this message Pastor Chris unpacks the scriptures and invitation of the Baptism of the Holy Spirit. What is it? Why does it matter? And how do I posture my heart to receive all that God has for me in this area?

    Life in the Spirit // Healing

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 31, 2025 41:29


    The topic of healing can include everything from the miraculous to unbelief, faith to curiosity, and overwhelming joy to deep disappointment. In this message, Pastor Holly takes us through many stories of Jesus healing, shares her own experiences seeing (and not seeing) healing miracles, and shows us that healing is always on God's heart and is meant to be a regular part of our lives. As followers of Jesus we are called to demonstrate the Kingdom of God here on Earth as it is in Heaven, so let us go, with humility and compassion, in the name of our Great King and Healer, and see healing in ourselves, our neighbors, and our world. 

    Life in the Spirit // The Spirit in Suffering

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 24, 2025 53:40


    In this message guest speaker, Katie Luse, offers some profound truth and revelation about the work of the Spirit in our lives through seasons of trial, disappointment and suffering. Not only is Holy Spirit with us in those moments, but some of the Spirits most important work can be done in these moments if we posture ourselves to His work. Katie is a friend of GCC and leads a prayer ministry called Connect Up.

    Life in the Spirit // Spiritual Warfare: No Neutral Ground

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 17, 2025 33:52


    Whether you know it or not, you are in a war. In Matthew 12:22-30, Jesus showcases the reality of spiritual warfare—a battle between the kingdom of God and the kingdom of darkness. Pastor Olu in this week's sermon unpacks what it means to be engaged in Spiritual Warfare, how to recognize the enemy's tactics, and how to walk in the victory Christ has already won. The battle is real, but so is our authority in Jesus. 

    Life in the Spirit // Tongues and Interpretations

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 3, 2025 36:36


    The gift of Tongues can be one of the misunderstood and confusing of the gifts, but also one of the most life giving. In this message Pastor Chris explores what the Bible says about the gift of Tongues, how it can play a role in our lives and what its purpose is in our walk with Christ.

    Gospel Music Celebration // Diversity in Worship

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 24, 2025 16:28


    As we close out Black History Month, Pastor Chris teaches us on God's heart for the nations, the beauty of diversity and creativity in the Kingdom and the unique contribution the Black Church had made to our faith.

    Life in the Spirit // God's Voice and The Gift of Prophecy

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 17, 2025 39:12


    Does God speak? Is God still speaking? What does God's voice sound like? In this message, Pastor Holly challenges us to increase our awareness, expectation, and experience of hearing God's voice and using the gift of prophecy.

    Life in the Spirit // Spiritual Gifts, Knowledge, Wisdom and Miracles

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 10, 2025 34:44


    As we continue in our Life in the Spirit series Pastor Chris begins unpacking the role that spiritual gifts can play in the life of a believer and how we can walk in them with joy, health and wisdom. 

    Guest Speaker // Dr. Bob Roberts Jr. - The Temple of God

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 3, 2025 41:26


    Dr. Bob Roberts has been a powerful Kingdom voice for decades; planting churches, advocating for religious freedoms around the world and acting as a bridge builder between people of different faiths. In this message he teaches on the role of the Temple and what it means for us as followers of Jesus to carry the Presence of God with us at all times and in all places. 

    Life in the Spirit // The Presence

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 27, 2025 37:03


    The Presence of God is one of the most important, but also misunderstood themes in the Bible. In this message Pastor Chris unpacks the significance of God's presence, how we can understand it, but most importantly how it can become a central part of our lives. 

    Life in the Spirit // Who is the Holy Spirit?

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 13, 2025 40:55


    In this new series "Life in the Spirit", Pastor Chris explores the nature and role of the Holy Spirit, and invites us all into a posture to learn to more fully receive from Holy Spirits work. 

    Word of the Year 2025 // Grounded

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 6, 2025 42:07


    A people who are grounded in the spirit of God and a people who are grounded in the truth of God. How can we be a people in 2025 who are grounding our hopes, identity and values in the unchanging goodness of God? Enjoy this message as Pastor Chris explores our word for the year!

    Advent // Joy

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 24, 2024 41:08


    What is joy? How can joy strengthen us? And how can we make sure that our joy is rooted in the Lord? In this message, Hannah Martha Cohen Banks explores Nehemiah 8:10 and the access we have to joy through Jesus.

    Christmas 2024 - Tabernacle Among Us

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 16, 2024 26:01


    How does the Tabernacle of the Old Testament become a prophetic picture of God's final plans of incarnation in the New Testament? In this message Pastor Chris explores John 1 and what it truly means for Jesus to make his ‘Dwelling' among us. 

    Advent // Peace

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 9, 2024 41:08


    This week, College and Justice Resident Faith Anderson teaches about the peace which comes from knowing God and His divine plan for those who love Him. The peace we experience in knowing and being known by God is a part of our inheritance as followers of Jesus.

    Advent // Hope

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 2, 2024 42:15


    In this message Jeff and Grace Cecilia bring a powerful teaching and testimony on the role hope has played in their lives and family. For anyone struggling to hold onto hope this is a message you don't want to miss.

    Promise and Problem of More // Freedom

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 25, 2024 38:53


    We live in a world steeped in the lure and even mythology of what it means to live as "free people". But what does God teach us about freedom? How do we truly exercise our freedoms and what does it actually mean to be free?

    The Persecuted Church // Daniel Yang

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 18, 2024 42:15


    Daniel Yang is the National Director of Churches of Welcome, which seeks to remind the church of our Biblical mandate to love and welcome immigrants and refugees in our midst. In this message he teaches from Revelation 2, the letter to the Church at Smyrna, and reminds us of the persecuted church across the globe. What can we learn from our brothers and sisters around the world who have suffered for their faith? How does God call us to live and follow him as those who are able to practice their faith with freedom and security?

    The Promise & Problem of More // Treasure

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 11, 2024 41:42


    In this week's sermon, we continue our Fall series "The Promise and Problem of More," exploring Solomon's pursuit of satisfaction in riches and possession as captured in Ecclesiastes. Despite the unparalleled accumulation of treasure, Solomon found them empty and unfulfilling, highlighting the vanity of misplaced desires. Here we will contrast this with the Good News of the Kingdom: True fulfillment is found only in Jesus, who offers genuine abundance and purpose. Join us as we learn to redirect our eternal longings toward the Eternal Treasure, who is Christ the Lord!

    The Politics of Jesus // Who is your Enemy?

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 4, 2024 41:54


    In a world that is continually pushing us into our polarized groups and encouraging us to view one another with distrust and suspicion, how can we learn to be a people that value first the Imago Dei in every person and refused to dehumanize one another to simply political identities?

    The Politics of Jesus // Empires and the Kingdom

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 28, 2024 50:40


    We live in a world ruled by earthly empires, but King Jesus constantly calls back to our allegiance first to his reign and his Kingdom. In this message Pastor Chris reminds us of how we can center our hearts on the Kingdom of God, while still living faithfully within the empires of this world. 

    Hispanic Worship Celebration Recap

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 24, 2024 8:43


    In Revelation 7 we get a beautiful prophetic picture of every tribe, tongue and nation gathered around the throne of Jesus bringing their unique gift of worship. We believe that even here on earth we have the opportunity to live into that reality.On Sunday, October 13, to celebrate and close out Hispanic Heritage Month, we had our first Hispanic Worship Celebration! It was a great day to celebrate all the ways our Hispanic and Latino brothers and sisters bring so much depth, joy and value to our faith and worship.Pastor Chris sat down with our Worship Director, David Virgo for a recap of the celebration - check it out!

    Presence // Ryan and Jenni Browne

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 21, 2024 34:28


    In this message we get to hear from Ryan and Jenni Browne. The Brownes have been a key family to GCC since our launch, and just a few years ago launched internationally to serve the nation and people of Ethiopia. What God has continued to teach them about his heart for every person, how to continually prioritize his presence and how God has miraculously provided for them again and again is such a beautiful testimony to the faithfulness of God.

    The Promise & Problem of More // Success

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 7, 2024 34:50


    What is success? What is it not? Could it be that feeling or thought of failing, of being a failure, is actually the kindness of God - letting us feel so we know the success we're seeking is actually a problem wrapped up in ourselves instead of receiving a promise centered on Him? Pastor Holly gives us an honest, challenging, and encouraging message, leading us to discover what success in the Kingdom of God truly is.Spoiler alert: More success will always be a problem when it's based on yourself, when it's all about you.  But the Promise of more success will be found and experienced when success is about God.

    The Promise & Problem of More // Power

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 30, 2024 34:40


    We live in a world that is in many ways defined by power. People of power, structures of power, dynamics of power, acts of power. There are times when power is used for good, but it also doesn't take us long to point to things we see or experience that represent power not used well. So what about Kingdom power? What is God's vision of power? We know that God is powerful, so how does God steward His power and how does he invite us to be a people who walk in power?

    Promise and Problem of More // Comfort

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 23, 2024 38:10


    In this message Pastor Chris explores the Promise and Problem of more Comfort. Throughout the scriptures we read about God's promise to be our comforter, we know that comfort is something we all crave and seek, but at the same time living lives that are entirely insulated by the pursuit of more comfort can rob us of the beautiful destiny we're each invited into. 

    The Promise & Problem of More // Pleasure

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 18, 2024 40:47


    In this message Pastor Chris kicks off our new series exploring our 2024 word for the year, More. When it comes to pleasure if we're honest, we'd all love a bit more! The world seems to promise us that we can live lives off endless pleasure, but yet those promises never seem to quite hit the mark. So how do we hold our desires and longings in a way that honors the Lord and also leads towards satisfaction?

    Who Are We? // GCC 8th Birthday Celebration

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 11, 2024 44:23


    In this message, Pastor Chris explores the values of Worship, Family, and Justice,  why they are so central to God's call on our church, and the vision he has called us to pursue.

    Stories of Formation // Form Discipleship

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 28, 2024 20:52


    In this episode, you'll hear a few testimonies from members of our community who participated in the last Form cohort. To apply for the 2024-25 discipleship groups and more information visit our website. 

    The Outward Disciplines // Service

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 26, 2024 40:08


    In this sermon, our Justice & Operations Director Hannah Martha Cohen Banks asserts that Kingdom Service is the practice of putting ourselves in discomfort, submitting to the kingdom, so we can partner with the Spirit in the making of all things new and grow in Christlike humility. 

    The Outward Disciplines // Simplicity

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 19, 2024 40:49


    In this message, Pastor Chris explores the spiritual discipline of Simplicity and how important it is to keep our hearts and minds centered on God's best. 

    The Outward Disciplines // Submission

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 13, 2024 47:21


    Even though it's one of the most beautiful, empowering, and freeing spiritual disciplines of our faith, Submission is often noted as the most misused and abused. In this message from Pastor Holly, she gently teaches on what submission is not, what Kingdom submission actually is, the limits of submission, and ways we can practice and grow in this discipline in healthy ways.

    The Outward Disciplines // Solitude

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 6, 2024 42:03


    In our new series, The Outward Disciplines, Pastor Olu explains the need for all of us to engage in these practices in order to continue developing lifestyles modeled after Jesus. Focusing on solitude, he encourages us through Luke 4: 38-44, to have a regular rhythm in our lives where we are disconnecting from the crowds and clutter so we can connect deeper with God.

    Witness // Contextualization

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 29, 2024 46:42


    In this message, Pastor Chris explores Paul's approach to mission through Acts 17. How do we approach our witness in a way that is truly good news for all people? In a way that invites and doesn't alienate those who may not know Jesus as Lord? 

    Witness // Perception

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 22, 2024 43:01


    Acts 16 is a reservoir of insights and encouragement for those who seek to follow Jesus and share His love, power, and wisdom with others along the way. Often overlooked, yet a cornerstone of missional effectiveness is prayer. In this week's sermon, Pastor Olu underscores the pivotal role of prayer in our spiritual life and service, as it opens our eyes to hidden possibilities and hones our perception to participate in God's work of redemption. Get ready to be equipped with practical prayer points to fuel your faith and witness!

    Witness // Connection

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 15, 2024 45:31


    In this week's sermon, Pastor Olu briefly explores a pivotal moment in the book of Acts, chapters 10 and 11, where the Holy Spirit challenges Peter to connect with those he typically wouldn't, revealing God's mission of inviting everyone to His table. We will also hear from key leaders from our community, Krista Kartson, Juddie Otieno, and Dan Dreyer, who will share their experiences in cross-cultural engagement. Join us as we explore how the Spirit transforms us into people of love by opening doors to interactions with people unlike us, expanding our perspectives, and inspiring us to share our faith. Let's embark on this adventure of dissolving biases and building tables across cultures. Are you in?

    Witness // Interruption

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 3, 2024 33:35


    Pastor Holly dives into two stories in Acts 8 involving Philip, a newly appointed leader in the early church, and leads us to ask ourselves two big and important questions: Are we willing to be interrupted AND ALSO are we willing to be the interruption?

    Witness // Persecution

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 24, 2024 47:37


    The story of Stephen in Acts 6 & 7 describes to us the persecution of the first martyr of the newly formed church. There's so much we can learn from his witness and his faithfulness as it relates to persecution that we may experience in our own walk following Jesus. How do we remain as faith and effective witnesses in the moments persecution comes our way?

    Witness // Proclamation: Word & Deed

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 18, 2024 42:14


    In this week's sermon, Pastor Olu leads us to explore Acts 4, which picks up right after Peter and John miraculously heal a lame beggar at the temple. This miracle provokes the people's positive and negative reactions, setting the stage for Peter's impassioned second message. Join us as we learn that, like Peter, we all carry a vital message, and the courage to share it comes freely to us through the Holy Spirit. Tune in to be inspired and challenged as a witness in your everyday life!

    Witness // Demonstration

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 11, 2024 36:23


    In Acts 2 we read about the gathering of the early Christians and how they lived out their faith together. In the midst of these extraordinary stories its so easy to miss the ordinary rhythms that were such a big part of their witness, and how their lives truly did demonstrate the presence of God amongst them. In this message Pastor Chris challenges us to do the same, and to witness to God not in-spite of our real lives, but in the midst of them. 

    Witness // Commissioned

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 3, 2024 38:14


    Pastor Chris kicks off our series in the book of Acts by exploring the first chapter and what it means for us to be a commissioned people. Too often we settle for a back seat, spectator role, when God has called every single follower of Jesus to be a part of his work here on earth.

    The Home God Is Building // Faith Anderson

    Play Episode Listen Later May 28, 2024 42:39


    In this message, College and Justice Resident Faith Anderson leads us through the Old Testament truth that God is a home for us, paralleled with the New Testament reality that He has made His home in us. Now through the gift of the Holy Spirit, how do we embrace the work of making the house of our heart a home? This sermon gives us practical steps to partner with God in the process of sanctification. [There are audio difficulties in this episode - they are resolved at the 8 minute mark, our apologies!] 

    Learning to Wait // Pentecost Sunday

    Play Episode Listen Later May 28, 2024 42:19


    In this message, Pastor Chris teaches on the Tower of Babel in Genesis, through to the Upper room in the book of Acts, and the importance of learning to posture our hearts and lives in a way where we are able to fully partner with God and His Spirit's work within us. [There are audio difficulties in this episode - they are resolved at the 13 minute mark, our apologies!] 

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