Podcast appearances and mentions of grace city church

Every follower of Jesus has a purpose that reaches beyond today. This message explores what it means to live with intentional faith, carry hope into everyday life, and participate in God's mission to impact the world. Be encouraged to live boldly and make a lasting difference wherever God has placed you.#GraceCityChurch #churchonlineGrace City Church in Lakeland, FloridaJoin Us Every Sunday at 9:30am & 11:15am ESTCheck Out Our New Song “Only You Jesus”https://found.ee/OnlyYouJesus?utm_sou...Give Online: https://gracecity.com/give/Said Yes to Jesus Today? Let us know! https://gracecity.churchcenter.com/people/forms/588337Stay Connected:Website: https://gracecity.com/Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/gracecityfl/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gracecityfl/Scripture References: 1 Samuel 8:1-7, 1 Samuel 9:1-2, 1 Samuel 10:1Our Vision:Leading people into a life-transforming relationship with Jesus. This is the vision of Grace City Church, led by Pastors Andrew and Christina Gard in Lakeland, Florida.#GraceCityChurch #churchonline

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This is the Art Life Faith Podcast, and I’m your host, Roger Lowther. I’m excited to announce to you that we just released a new book, Consolations of a Christian by Japanese writer Kanzo Uchimura. Written in 1893, it has never before been translated into English, which is surprising because this is the book that made Uchimura famous, instantly becoming a bestseller and launching his career as a writer. Here’s some backstory for this book. In 1890, the Emperor of Japan issued an Imperial Rescript on Education. Kanzo Uchimura was at that time a teacher in one of the top schools in the country, but he did not bow deeply enough to the Emperor’s signature on the document, for as a Christian, he saw this as a kind of idolatry. However, his fellow faculty members saw this as a huge sign of disrespect, and the press saw it as an act of treason. His name and face were plastered on newspapers across the country. He was fired from his job. His friends distanced themselves from him. He fell into deep poverty. And from all the stress, he got really, really sick, even to the point of death. While his wife was caring for him, she too got very sick, and then she died. This was especially crushing because they were newlyweds, having been married little more than a year. Uchimura hit rock bottom in his life, but rather than giving up, he cried out to God in ink, brush, and paper, capturing the minds and hearts of so many with his uniquely Japanese understanding of the Bible. And his book came out during a time when Christian books were mostly just translated Western authors. This book is fascinating for many reasons, but I can tell you from personal experience that I was greatly encouraged working on this project, and so I know it can be a great consolation and comfort to you as well, and anyone going through a difficult time in their life. Let me say a quick word about the translator. Chris Born is a longtime friend of our Grace City Church community here in Tokyo. First, he came for a year to work on his doctoral thesis on Uchimura, and during that time he and his family poured into the church community, helping with many of the ministries. Then he returned to the States, where he’s the Associate Professor of Japanese and Asian Studies at Belmont University in Nashville, Tennessee. But he recently came back to Japan for post-doctoral research and to write a number of books including this one. Again, he and his family poured into the community, and even his oldest daughter worked with us as an intern, giving piano concerts, leading worship with her playing and singing, and helping out in so many ways. They go back to America this month, and we’re very sorry to see them go. They will be missed. Let me also say a word about the cover designer, created by the immensely talented Emma Grace von Fange, one of the interns who worked with us this summer. She did such a beautiful job getting inspiration from the text and making it appealing while also giving a sense of what we find inside. It’s a very attractive cover and really a work of art. I’m so grateful for her hard work on this project. Recently we had the launch day, and one of the church members threw a dinner party for the event. So I took a few minutes to sit down with a translator just before the party to invite all of you into the celebration. Here’s our conversation. Roger So today is the launch day of Consolations of a Christian by Kanzo Uchimura, translated by Christopher Born, who is sitting right next to me. Thank you so much for being with us tonight. Chris Thanks for having me, Roger. This is awesome. Roger Yeah, so we are meeting in a friend’s home downtown Tokyo. We’re going to have a launch party tonight. Some of us are already here preparing the food, and others are going to be arriving soon. You’re probably going to hear some doorbell ringing… Chris So pull up a chair and hang out with us. Roger I’m just so thankful that it’s finally out in the world as of today, July 13, 2026. Chris Wow. Unbelievable. Roger A lot of time has gone into this, hasn’t it? Chris Yes, from your own kind encouragement for me to follow through and get it done from about 10 years ago when I started it to bringing it to completion just now. It’s been quite a journey, but exciting to be part of it and also be working so closely with an amazing team. Really, you assembled a wonderful cover designer, and you’ve done so much of the editing. Roger She was great. Chris She was fantastic, and you put it together so quickly. I mean, you really have a lot of talent behind this project. You just made it pop and shine. I’m grateful. Roger I really like that about putting out books. It’s not just about the writer writing solo in a solitary room somewhere, but there are a lot of people who are part of the whole project and are excited for it when it comes out. Chris That’s right. It’s a big production team. Roger Yeah. So, how did you get into this project? Why did you translate this book? Chris So that’s a great story for me. I’ve been studying Uchimura since about 2009. When I was working at a seminary, and I was able to take courses while I was working there as like staff. I took a course called Christianity in East Asia because that was always interesting to me. And when I did my master’s in East Asian studies, we covered some tangential aspects about Christianity in the Meiji period and how it influenced social movements, how there was a big missions movement that helped grow women’s education and the YMCA, things like that, but we never focused on Japanese Christian thinkers. So this course was the first time I was exposed to an actual Japanese Christian thinker who not only originated a number of writings but also had his own theological perceptions from a Japanese perspective that he wanted to add to sort of global Christianity. And he really thought that if Japan learned about Jesus and became more Christian, it would be a light to the world. So I thought that was an interesting entryway. Roger Okay, so using Western years, when are we talking about? Chris Uchimura lived from 1861 to 1930. He became a Christian around 1873 when he went off to Sapporo Agricultural College, which is now University of Hokkaido, one of the larger state schools. And when he became a Christian, he realized monotheism was the answer to a lot of his problems because he had such a strong religiosity as a kid and would bow to every shrine and every temple. And as he got older as a student, he really still held on to those beliefs. But when monotheism was presented to him, he really didn’t want to become a Christian. He was sort of pressured into it, but he went along with it primarily because he said, well, there’s only one God I need to worship, then I don’t need to worry about all the other gods. So that I thought was interesting because Japanese are famously known for having 8 million gods or something like that. Roger Okay, so for those who don’t know their Japanese history, this is like the very beginnings of Protestant church planting in Japan. Chris Yes. Roger So he’s one of the first of modern Christians. Chris That’s right. Christianity was banned from about 1609 to 1872. In the interim, in 1859, there was some missions activity but it was kind of underground. Uchimura was a part of the early generation of the different bands. There’s the Sapporo Band and the Yokohama Band and the Kumamoto Band in Kyushu. So these were sort of early Christian groupings. Uchimura was from up north. But yeah, he was active in the 1890s when he came back to Japan. He had studied abroad in America in the 1880s and sort of grew. He was always good at English, but he went to, Amherst College and then went off to Hartford Seminary before realizing— Roger Near Boston. Chris Near Boston, yes. Northeast. In the book, you’ll see a lot of references to northeastern literature and sort of abolitionist thinkers. He loved them. Roger Yeah, actually that was fun for me because I grew up near Boston, so a lot of the things he’s mentioning only people in Boston know. Like Mount Monadnock, a mountain I climbed with my dad. Chris Does it look like Fuji? Roger Well, it stands on its own and it is kind of conical, but it’s really short. It’s not a very tall mountain at all. It’s more like a tall hill. Chris There you go. So even better comparison to how much more grandeur Fuji has, which he keeps referring to. But yeah, he loved the northeast. In his other book that was written in English called How I Became a Christian, or Diary of a Japanese Convert, he talks about his experiences in the northeast. Roger How can you explain why Uchimura is important? Why should we care? That was a long time ago. Chris As one of Japan's earliest modern Christians—I mean, his collected works are 40 volumes. He was an important thinker for the time period. Not only did he write in a Christian vernacular of the time, he attracted a number of future authors who would become aware of Christianity, at least in terms of their own understanding of the world. Even if they didn’t become Christians, they embraced a partially Christian worldview or romantic worldview. So from a literary perspective, which is what my main focus of my academic work was on how he’s an important literary figure, but I knew that he was an important Christian figure. And for Japanese theologians in general, anybody who’s going to seminary knows who Uchimura is and has read him. Now, the reason this book is important is everyone suffers, right? Everyone has a hard time. We get sick. Our wives get sick. People die. People we love are gone in an instant. We don’t know what tomorrow is going to look like. We can lose our job. We can get canceled because of the things we say and do. Even if we’re speaking the truth, we get punished for it. Roger Mm-hmm. Chris Uchimura suffered for telling the truth as he saw it, and he was willing to take that on and be that lightning rod in a society that was quickly becoming anti-Western and anti-Christian. And especially in the mid-1880s when he was still in America, there was a big turn toward emperor worship and connecting the state to religion in a very strong way, and in the 1890s when the Imperial Rescript on Education came out and later the 1891 Constitution, they really pointed to the emperor as the Confucian father of the nation that everyone must worship and obey. And Uchimura’s like, “Look, I respect the emperor as much as the next guy. He is my sovereign, but I’m not going to bow down and worship him in that way.” And as a result, that made him become persona non grata. That turned him into an anti-patriot to like the worst of the worst, the most disloyal of the disloyal, and of course in a Confucian samurai heritage worldview, that’s terrible. Disloyalty is the worst thing, right? So Uchimura suffered as a result of his own public intellectual beliefs, and then as a result, he lost everything, and part of losing everything meant he had to reinvent himself, and so he became an author as part of that process. Roger One of my favorite parts of the book is in the afterword where he’s talking about when he was writing the book and an American missionary, came in and said, so Mr. Uchimura, what are you working on? And he’s like, well, I’m writing this book. And he’s like, oh, what are you translating? He’s like, no, I’m not translating. I’m writing it, my own words. And the missionary was, was surprised and like, how can you be doing that? I mean, because Christianity came from the West, what right do you have as a Japanese to write? That was the attitude of the time. Chris Yeah, it was a very culturally bound enterprise, reproducing Western culture, civilizing the world, so to speak. And many Westerners didn’t think Japan was civilized. They had no idea how civilized it was. Roger Yeah. And you were explaining to me earlier how he was trying to figure out what it means to be Japanese and be Christian because there wasn’t— Chris It’s an identity issue. Roger There wasn’t any literature at that time. They were only looking at translated Western literature. And so he was kind of delving into this to try to figure it out, right? Chris That’s right. When he did become a Christian, the amount of stuff they had at Hokkaido University or Sapporo Agricultural College was so small. The amount of things they had to work with were so small. They were just some tracts, a few— they had a Western Bible, they had some parts of the Bible translated that was still in process, and they had things from many different denominations, so they didn’t know what was what and which one to ally with. And he became a Christian through the Methodists, but in Sapporo you had a Methodist church and an Episcopal church, and he wanted to work with both, and sort of create an independent Japanese church in Sapporo, but there was really no way to do that. They had to make it up themselves. And when the Western missionaries who they borrowed money from got wind of this, they were like, “You have to give us all our money back because you’re not part of us anymore.” So they scrimped and saved and did everything they could to pay it back. So there is this sense that independence, Japanese theology from a Japanese perspective became his life’s work. Roger So Uchimura is part of the birth of the church in Japan. So to me, as a missionary here, it’s especiallyinteresting. This is the first time ever that this book is in English. Chris That’s right. Roger I mean, it was published in 1893. Chris Yes. Roger And it’s incredibly important to missionaries today, and yet there’s never been an English version. And you translated it from classical Japanese. Chris That’s right. Roger So it’s really difficult Japanese. Chris It’s really difficult. It’s a long process of learning to be able to parse all that out. There is a modern translation now, but the original I thought was best to go from and take it from Uchimura’s own words. Roger It uses a lot of characters that aren’t used anymore. You showed me your manuscript, which is a work of art, by the way, all your notes around all of his, all the earlier published version, but like, I don’t even know what to call that. I mean, just various characters that are… Chris Yeah, kyujitai. Most Japanese don’t read it. I was talking to some students earlier today at a campus here, just kind of explaining that this book’s coming out and what it’s about, and I think maybe one or two knew who Uchimura was, and they knew about this fukeijiken or this incident of disloyalty to the emperor, or lesè-majesté as they call it, but they said they’d never read him, and when I mentioned it’s all written in this kind of really classical style Japanese, they’re like, “Yeah, we don’t really read that.” Yeah, I imagine not. He’s still unknown, so we can also help people understand that you can get a modern Japanese translation too, but I think Americans especially who want to know more about Japan at that time and about sort of authentic Japanese Christians and just from the perspective of a very sensitive soul who loves God and is searching for answers to his pain. Roger Right, that’s what I love about this book. He’s not afraid to basically be cry out to God, Why are you allowing these things things? And trying to search for the answers as a Japanese person, not trying to look for pat answers, but asking in his context, really what’s going on, how can I apply to it? And it’s just so interesting? Chris Right? Because one of the most important questions any human being will ever ask is, who is Jesus Christ and why does he matter? Roger Right. Chris And Uchimura knew who he was and why he mattered, but in the midst of this sort of dark doldrums of the soul why Jesus really mattered wasn’t just a nice, you know, it’ll all be okay someday, and just being a Christian makes everything all right. No, it’s like, Lord, you are my God, and I’m imploring you to give me an answer and give me strength and understanding to get through this situation. Roger Okay, so now you touched on this briefly. It’s called Consolations of a Christian. Why is this book important to people who may have little interest in Japan? Chris Sure, well, it certainly is full of what we call classical allusions to both Japanese literature, nature, history, and culture that are written for a Japanese audience. So he wasn’t writing it for us. So as a foreigner looking in on that, we can get a glimpse on the conversation which Uchimura is having with his own people about Christianity. Roger And with himself. Chris And of course with himself, and with God, and all the other little demonic voices that are harassing him. Roger You know, one of the things I thought was really interesting about the book, you’ve mentioned to me in conversation just how there’s a number of places where he lists scripture verses, but he doesn’t print it out. Chris That’s right. Roger And you said it was your idea that perhaps it was because he was wanting people to open the Bible for the first time. Most of the people who read this book were not Christians. Chris That’s right. Roger Because he wanted people who didn’t know anything about Christianity, very few did at that time, to read this and become interested in the God of the Bible. And he really makes that clear at the end of the book, right? Especially on the last two pages. “We looked at different answers throughout this book, but it’s clear the Bible is going to offer these answers that you really are searching for. God has those answers. Don’t stop until you find those answers.” That kind of thing. Chris That’s right. All of his literature points back to that. He doesn’t waver on that one bit. And in fact, he devoted his life to becoming a journalist for a while. He wrote for the Yorozu Choho for about 5 years, which was kind of like a New York Post or a LA Times kind of magazine, a little bit sensationalist but very political. He was the English language editor of that for a number of years until he decided to quit that and start his own work, which was called Seisho no Kenkyu (the Study of the Bible). And it was a magazine that he put out, which was all his own reading, parsing, interpreting the Bible and applying it to daily life. Roger To the general public, right? Not only to churches or Christians, but to everybody? Chris A lot of people were reading this even if they weren’t Christian. They were curious. Consolations of a Christian was a bestseller. And then as a result, he became hired as a journalist, then those copies of Yorozu Joho were also circulating, and then Seishun no Kinkyu as well. So, he really did use the words that he wrote as a way of reaching people in an evangelical way and pushing them to look at the Bible. That’s what all his life was about. Roger Well, this book was very meaningful for me. The fact that he, in the lowest point in his life, that he would turn to writing, crying to God, and trying to bring the nation along with him to cry out to God. He didn’t fall into despair, but he gave that anguish to God. Chris Yes. Roger And that's just such an important message for all of humanity. Chris Yes. Roger You know, anywhere in the world, we all suffer. Chris That’s right. Roger And the fact that he writes a whole book addressing that and trying to help us turn to God through that is so important. Chris Yeah, because the Bible says God draws near to those who are suffering, and we suffer with Christ. But Christ was there with him in that suffering. In that moment, he knew it, but he had to put that anguish towards and use it for something. And that’s what’s really cool. He never wasted the experiences he had. He says it’s not my autobiography, but it’s a record of an authentic person who’s trying to struggle with being Christian. I think that’s gorgeous. Roger So I hope many of you who are listening to this will download this book, either buy the paperback, buy the hardcover, buy the ebook, go get the Kindle. It’s such a blessing that you’ve done this. Thank you so much. Chris Thank you so much for working with me and giving me the opportunity. Roger Yeah, so I guess we better get this party started. Chris Let’s enjoy this gathering around this table in many ways similar to what Uchimura would have done. Roger All right, so thank you for talking with us now. Chris Thank you. Thanks so much. Roger You’ve been listening to the Art Life Faith Podcast. You can pick up a copy of Consolations of a Christian by Kanzo Uchimura wherever you buy your books online. As we say in Japan, “Ja, mata ne!” We’ll see you next time. BUY “CONSOLATIONS OF A CHRISTIAN”

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Where can real hope be found when life feels uncertain?In Week 2 of our series, How Did We Get Here?, we explore Isaiah 53:1–6 and Jeremiah 31:31–34 and discover that hope isn't wishful thinking or positive emotions. Hope in the Lord is a declaration of trust in the only One who saves.Scripture References: Isaiah 53:1–6, Jeremiah 31:31–34 (ESV)#GraceCityChurch #churchonlineGrace City Church in Lakeland, FloridaJoin us every Sunday at 9:30am & 11:15am EST.Pre-save our new song, "Encounter": https://found.ee/GC_Encounter?utm_source=ig&utm_medium=social&utm_content=link_in_bio&fbclid=PAZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQPOTM2NjE5NzQzMzkyNDU5AAGn_lhv53ccmEXUyWWCDN9ERi37MKpMIGnERcH9-miD3j9tS4Y6OxA13dJziU8_aem_pCFTO4i0FF0EElVTHV2zkAGive Online: https://gracecity.com/give/Said yes to Jesus today? Let us know!https://gracecity.churchcenter.com/people/forms/588337Stay ConnectedWebsite: https://gracecity.com/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/gracecityfl/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gracecityfl/Our Vision:Leading people into a life-transforming relationship with Jesus. This is the vision of Grace City Church, led by Pastors Andrew and Christina Gard in Lakeland, Florida.—#GraceCityChurch #churchonline

Duji stopped going to church during the pandemic. Pastor of Grace City Church, Josh McPherson, tells his followers they need to donate to the church. Woman accuses Democratic Senate nominee Graham Platner of sexual assault. What happened to Mitch McConnell? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

JLR is late. How much did Duji spend on her trip to Nationals? Rover downloads his marathon walk data. Duji stopped going to church during the pandemic. Pastor of Grace City Church, Josh McPherson, tells his followers they need to donate to the church. Woman accuses Democratic Senate nominee Graham Platner of sexual assault. What happened to Mitch McConnell? Is Charlie still using his mountain bike? While celebrating their win soccer player Jordan Henderson breaks his arm jumping over a LED screen. A Duji shrine. Man gets into an altercation with another guy after he was disrespectful to two teenage girls. Mom left her daughter at the airport after she forgot her passport. Charlie left Nadz at the airport. Marlins' pitcher Eury Perez was pulled from the game after pitching 7 perfect innings. Duji plans on having Gia make her own car payments. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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Church leadership today has become reactive, emotional, and impatient. Aaron Burke and Andrew Gard, Lead Pastor or Grace City Church, discuss what it means to become a durable leader by building healthy rhythms, staying committed to your calling, and resisting the urge to constantly seek the next opportunity.Stay connected with Aaron BurkeWebsite: https://aaronburke.com/

In this message from Nehemiah 6–7, Pastor Josh McPherson preaches on the completion of Jerusalem's wall and the ongoing call of God's people to keep building. The Christian life is marked by wins, losses, and onward obedience. Even after great victories, critics remain and enemies intimidate, but the work must continue. Through the story of Nehemiah and reflections on Freedom Con, Pastor Josh calls Christians to celebrate what God has done, fear God more than man, and keep rebuilding the ruins for the glory of Christ.Support the showThanks for listening! Go to www.StrongerManNation.com for more resources. 

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In the first message of our new series, How Did We Get Here?, we go back to the beginning to discover God's original design for humanity. Before there was brokenness, confusion, and conflict, there was purpose, identity, and relationship with God.Together, we'll explore why God created us with the freedom to choose, His desire to protect our innocence, and why understanding His original intent helps us find our way when life gets off track.If we're going to know where to go next, we have to understand where it all began.Scripture References:Genesis 2:15–25, Proverbs 20:3Stay connected with Grace City Church:gracecity.com

Josh McPherson is a pastor, author, founder of Stronger Man Nation, and leader of Grace City Church in Washington State. In this episode of The Resilient Show, Chad Robichaux sits down with Josh for a powerful conversation about the crisis of manhood in America, the responsibility of fathers, and why boys need more than comfort, entertainment, and passive encouragement.Josh breaks down what it means for a man to be ready, willing, and able to do his job in the service of others, no matter the cost to himself. He shares the heart behind The Stronger Boy Way, his book and rite-of-passage program designed to help fathers intentionally lead their sons into manhood through challenge, mentorship, skill-building, and affirmation.Chad and Josh also discuss the need for men to step back into leadership in their homes, churches, communities, and nation. From fatherhood and mentorship to courage, responsibility, politics, culture, and faith, this episode is a call for men to stop sitting on the sidelines and start carrying the weight they were made for.Josh also shares the vision behind Freedom Con, a gathering of Christian men focused on restoring courage, conviction, and statesmanship in a culture that desperately needs strong, godly men.00:00 Intro00:49 Welcome Josh McPherson01:18 Freedom Con and the Men's Conference Lineup03:05 What Is The Stronger Boy Way?04:02 What Does It Mean to Be a Man?05:07 Fathers Leading Sons Into Manhood07:32 Rite of Passage as a Starting Line09:42 Patches, Challenge Coins, and Building Strong Boys13:33 Why Boys Need Intentional Fathers17:21 Why It's Never Too Late to Start18:39 Brotherhood, Mentorship, and Mission20:45 America's Manhood Crisis27:12 Vision, Permission, and Help for Men30:19 Why Pastors Need Moral Courage37:53 Freedom Con and Christian Statesmanship49:30 Washington State's Valley Forge Moment01:03:53 Faith, Veterans, and the White House01:18:18 Closing Thoughts and Patreon GiveawayJOSH'S LINKS:Stronger Man Nation: https://www.strongermannation.comWarrior Poet Society: https://www.warriorpoetsupplyco.comFreedom Con - Use promo code ROBO for 50% off: https://www.freedomcon26.com/ticketsStronger Boy Way Kit: https://www.warriorpoetsupplyco.com/p...——Stay up-to-date with all things Resilient by subscribing to our Resilient Times Newsletter: https://resilienttimes.substack.comRESILIENT:Follow Us On Patreon: ⁠  / theresilientshow  Follow Us On Instagram: ⁠  / resilientshow  Follow Us On Twitter:⁠ ⁠  / resilientshow  Follow Us On TikTok:⁠ ⁠  / resilientshow  LIVE RESILIENT STORE:https://shop.theresilientshow.comFollow Chad: ⁠⁠  / chadrobo_official  https://x.com/ChadRoboSPONSORS:Smith & Wesson: ⁠⁠https://www.smith-wesson.com⁠⁠Vortex Optics: ⁠https://vortexoptics.com⁠Gatorz Eyewear: ⁠⁠https://www.gatorz.com⁠⁠Allied Wealth: ⁠https://alliedwealth.com⁠BioPro+: ⁠⁠https://www.bioproteintech.com/CHAD30⁠⁠BioXCellerator: ⁠https://www.bioxcellerator.com⁠Core Medical: https://coremedicalgrp.com/chadpodcas...------The Resilient Show is a proud supporter of military and first responder communities in partnership with ⁠Mighty Oaks Foundation⁠.

In Nehemiah 5, we see that the greatest threat to God's people is not opposition from the outside, but sin and division from within. Pastor Josh McPherson unpacks how godly leaders confront injustice with both justice and mercy. Churches, families, and nations are strengthened when sin is addressed, justice is pursued, and leaders lead by example.Support the showThanks for listening! Go to www.StrongerManNation.com for more resources. 

Pastor Michael Heath implores our church to actively forge deep, intimate communal relationships that cross racial, cultural, and socioeconomic lines. Jesus is essential for tangibly experiencing God's love and healing across all boundaries. We must be a unified church that draws near to God, holds fast to hope, and genuinely considers one another.

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Grace City Church exists to magnify the supremacy of God and the transforming power of the Gospel of Jesus Christ through the making and maturing of disciples who will effect spiritual, ethical, and vocational renewal in the city of Denver and around the world.

In this powerful closing message of our Prepare for Rain Campaign, Pastor Chris reminds us of the spiritual importance of remembering what God has already done. Preaching from Joshua 4, he calls us to pause, look back, and recognize the faithfulness of God in our lives, our church, and our future.Just as Israel gathered twelve stones after crossing the Jordan River, we are invited to “pick up our stone” and mark the miracles, provision, answered prayers, and moments of breakthrough God has given us. Forgetting what God has done yesterday can weaken our faith for what He wants to do tomorrow—but remembering builds faith, strengthens obedience, and creates a testimony for generations to come.As Grace City Church reflects on a year of God's provision through the Prepare for Rain Campaign, Pastor Chris celebrates the launch of high school ministry, growth in community, lives being changed, and God's miraculous provision for a future home. This message is a call to gratitude, faith, generosity, and legacy.The rain came. Now let's finish what was started.Scripture: Joshua 4Sermon Title: Don't ForgetSpeaker: Pastor ChrisSeries/Campaign: Prepare for RainSubscribe for more sermons and content from Grace City Church.#DontForget #PrepareForRain #PastorChris #GraceCityChurch #Joshua4 #ChristianSermon #Faith #RememberGodsFaithfulness #ChurchGrowth #Generosity #GodProvides #Sermon #Jesus #ChristianMessage

In this episode of Grace City Church's The Follow Up, Yasmin and Brian unpack the questions, tensions, and misconceptions surrounding one of the most debated spiritual gifts in the New Testament. From personal prayer language to public expression, from skepticism to spiritual hunger, we explore how the church can avoid both denial and disorder while pursuing discernment, maturity, and the presence of the Holy Spirit.We talk about:* Why has this gift caused so much confusion and division?* Can tongues be emotional, learned, or even abused?* How do we pursue spiritual gifts without hype or pressure?* What does a healthy, Spirit-filled church actually look like?Whether you're curious, cautious, skeptical, or hungry for more of God, this conversation aims to bring theological clarity, pastoral wisdom, and practical insight to a topic many Christians have questions about.

Celebrate Pentecost Sunday 2026 with Pastor Casey Olsen's message, The Harvest of Pentecost, as we explore Acts 1 and Acts 2 and discover the powerful meaning behind the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. In this sermon, we look at how Pentecost was not a random moment in Scripture, but the fulfillment of God's redemptive plan as the Holy Spirit empowered the early church for mission, witness, and gospel harvest among the nations.Pastor Casey unpacks the biblical connection between the Jewish Feast of Pentecost, the harvest festivals of the Old Testament, and the birth of the church in Acts 2. This message highlights how the Holy Spirit continues to empower ordinary believers today to live on mission, proclaim the gospel, make disciples, and participate in the ongoing work of God around the world.Through powerful teaching on Spirit-empowered living, dependence on the Holy Spirit, revival, prayer, church mission, and the global movement of the gospel, this sermon challenges Christians to move beyond self-reliance and rediscover the life-changing power and presence of God. From the early church in Jerusalem to modern-day missions in places like Cuba, Iceland, Ecuador, India, and beyond, The Harvest of Pentecost reminds us that the story of Acts is still unfolding today.If you are hungry for deeper intimacy with God, biblical teaching on the Holy Spirit, Pentecost Sunday, revival, discipleship, church planting, missions, charismatic Christianity, and Spirit-filled living, this message will encourage and equip you to become a living messenger of hope right where God has placed you.Scripture References:Acts 1:6-8Acts 2:1-411 Corinthians 15:20Subscribe for more sermons, biblical teaching, and Christ-centered, Spirit-empowered content from Grace City Church.

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What does it take to rebuild what's broken when opposition, criticism, and resistance rise against you? Pastor Josh McPherson unpacks eight marks of godly leadership through the life of Nehemiah. This sermon is a call to stop sitting on the sidelines and start rebuilding the ruins in our hearts, homes, churches, and nation—no matter the cost.Support the showThanks for listening! Go to www.StrongerManNation.com for more resources. 

Pastor Chris Zauner continues week 5 of our series, How to Ruin Your Faith, with a powerful sermon titled Abuse Freedom. Teaching from Galatians 5, Pastor Chris challenges us to understand that the freedom Jesus gives is not permission to live for the flesh, but an invitation to walk by the Spirit.In this message, we are reminded that Christ has set us free from condemnation, shame, religious striving, and the penalty of sin, but that freedom must not be abused. Paul warns the Galatian church not to drift back into slavery through legalism or rebellion, and Pastor Chris shows how both can quietly ruin our faith when we stop depending on Jesus.Through honest reflection, biblical teaching, and a call to surrender, this sermon confronts the works of the flesh and points us toward the fruit of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. True freedom is not found in doing whatever we want, but in crucifying the flesh and keeping in step with the Holy Spirit.If you have ever struggled with compromise, spiritual drift, shame, legalism, or the tension between flesh and Spirit, this message will encourage you to return to Jesus and live in the freedom He died to give.Scripture: Galatians 5Series: How to Ruin Your FaithMessage: Abuse FreedomSpeaker: Pastor Chris ZaunerThank you for watching this sermon from Grace City Church. Subscribe for more messages and join us as we seek Jesus, walk by the Spirit, and live out the freedom found in Christ.

This week, Brian Owen — pastor of Grace City Church in Boston and founder of Pray Boston — brings a guest message from Acts 13:1–3 titled "Becoming a Movemental Church." Preaching to the Table Boston community, Brian unpacks what it looks like for a local church to refuse to stay still: to be a Spirit-directed community that worships deeply, listens carefully, and sends sacrificially, releasing its best people and resources outward for the advance of the Kingdom of God.Drawing from the Church of Antioch as his central case study, Brian walks through four marks of a movemental church. First, movemental churches make the necessary moves to prepare for movemental moments, like Barnabas, who read the temperature of the Spirit and went to retrieve Paul, trusting that God was up to something new. Second, movemental churches practice expectant devotion: not strategy sessions or marketing campaigns, but the kind of worship and fasting that positions a church to hear the Holy Spirit say, "Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul." Third, movemental moments happen from within the local church, not outside of it, and every believer has been given gifts by the Spirit. Withholding those gifts robs the community of what it needs to reach the city. Fourth, movemental churches risk to experience renewal. Just as Antioch released its two best leaders into dangerous, unknown territory, churches that fear the cost will, in the words of Welsh revivalist Evan Roberts, never see the victory.The theological anchor of this message is the conviction that expectant devotion, not distraction, is what positions a church for a move of God. Leaning heavily on C.S. Lewis's Screwtape Letters, Brian argues that the enemy's most effective weapon today is not blatant sin but distraction: the gradual, quiet edging of the soul away from prayer, fasting, and hunger for God. In a city like Boston, where intellectual pride and spiritual darkness run deep, the movemental church must be one that actively wars against passivity and chooses to press toward God rather than settle for busyness.The invitation of this message is simple and searching: stop playing it safe. Brian closes by calling the room to honest self-examination. Some are being called to step toward something they have been avoiding out of fear; others are being called to walk away from something that is quietly suffocating their spiritual potential. Whether the risk involves finances, serving, mission, or simply embracing the season God has you in, the movemental life begins with a yes. As Brian reminds the church, anything worthwhile involves risk, and a church willing to release its best people and resources will always find that God honors the sacrifice with something greater than it gave away.

In week 4 of How to Ruin Your Faith, Pastor Casey Olsen continues through Galatians 4 with a message called Forget Who You Are. Paul reminds the church that in Christ, we are no longer slaves but sons and daughters of God. Yet many believers still drift back into performance, striving, and spiritual exhaustion because they forget the identity God has already given them.This sermon explores how spiritual drift often begins when we stop living from the truth that we are fully known, loved, adopted, and filled with the Holy Spirit. Pastor Casey unpacks the beauty of redemption, adoption, and the Spirit's cry within us: “Abba, Father.”If you have been trying to earn God's love, perform your way into peace, or carry your faith in your own strength, this message is an invitation to return to the Father and receive again what God has already provided through Jesus.Scripture: Galatians 4:1–11, 19–20Subscribe for more sermons from Grace City Church.#Galatians #ChristianSermon #Faith #HolySpirit #AdoptionInChrist #GraceCityChurch #PastorCaseyOlsen #HowToRuinYourFaith #ChristianTeaching #BibleSermon

What does it look like to follow God when the path isn't clear? In this message from Nehemiah 2, Pastor Josh McPherson teaches how prayer, planning, and trusting God's providence come together in the life of a believer. Learn how to step out in faith, rebuild what's broken, and recognize God's hand at work—even in the ordinary moments.Support the showThanks for listening! Go to www.StrongerManNation.com for more resources. 

Grace City Church celebrates Easter Sunday with a new sermon series entitled 'Imago Dei' and a message on Jesus' resurrection.

Our friend, Erik McEntyre, will be preaching on the power of prayer. Erik is a pastor at Grace City Church of the Northeast, a church in our denomination located in Northeast Philadelphia. We are excited to hear him bring God's Word to us, and we can't wait to see you on the best day of the week!

Grace City Church continues through the Matthew: Endgame sermon series with a message on Jesus' cleansing of the temple.

Grace City Church continues its Matthew: Endgame sermon series.

Pastor/State Rep. Nate Schatzline brings a prophetic challenge to Grace City Church: embrace the wilderness, kill the normal, and live with holy consistency in both “locusts and honey.” From Matthew 3, he calls the church to be a bold, consecrated movement that prepares the way for the Lord and refuses to grow familiar with God's presence. The message culminates in a historic commissioning announcement that you won't want to miss. Support the showThanks for listening! Go to www.StrongerManNation.com for more resources.

Pastor Mark Driscoll from Trinity Church joins Grace City Church for a powerful “family meeting,” connecting the church's Sacred Assembly season to Ezra & Nehemiah and calling for a continued rhythm of prayer, planning, fasting, and faith for favor. With twelve key words, he unpacks spiritual warfare as a battle for family, freedom, and the lordship of Jesus, and explains how God builds and then fills—first with His presence, then with new sons and daughters who will meet Christ. This message will strengthen your conviction, deepen your worship, and help you recognize what it means to gather as a sacred assembly in a thin place where heaven comes near.Support the showThanks for listening! Go to www.StrongerManNation.com for more resources.

Dr. Robert Chisholm, pastor of Grace City Church of the Northeast, preaches on the sufficiency of Scripture for trusting in Jesus for eternal life and living for him now.

At this Sacred Assembly at Grace City Church, Pastor Russell Johnson brings a faith-charged message from Mark 5—Jairus and the woman with the issue of blood—showing how honesty plants the seed of faith, and how Jesus' authority changes everything. Ask, believe, press in, and don't let fear set the temperature of your life. Pastor Russell calls the church to build an altar through worship, prayer, and sacrificial obedience—and to marry breakthrough to follow-through so what God starts in the room carries into every day.Support the showThanks for listening! Go to www.StrongerManNation.com for more resources.

This marks a unique moment in the life of Grace City. Pastor Josh McPherson begins our first Sacred Assembly—one of ten over the next five weeks—defining revival and calling our church into a focused rhythm of worship, prayer, and family discipleship. Church is for God. And when God is central, everything changes. This season isn't about attendance—it's about hunger. Weekly Sacred Assemblies will be Sunday & Wednesday Evenings @ 6:30pm PST (Two different messages weekly). Catch it in person at Grace City Church, or LIVE online on YouTube or FacebookSupport the showThanks for listening! Go to www.StrongerManNation.com for more resources.

What happens when God draws unusually near? In this fiery message at Grace City Church during Church Camp, Russel Johnson from The Pursuit Church teaches from Acts 10 (Cornelius & Peter) and unpacks the signs of revival. If you've been praying for awakening, this is your call to respond—revival starts in a person (IN YOU), and it's time to raise the sails because the wind has begun to blow.Support the showThanks for listening! Go to www.StrongerManNation.com for more resources.

Pastor Josh McPherson, on the fourth night of Church Camp 2026, shares 10 prophetic words for Grace City Church in what he believes is a kairos moment—an uncommon season of spiritual hunger, repentance, and renewed longing for God's presence. He defines prophetic words as timely, biblical, and weighty direction for a specific people, then calls the church to lean in and seek the Lord during this specific moment. This message is a “time capsule” for stewarding what God is doing right now—without manipulating it, but receiving and stewarding it faithfully.Support the showThanks for listening! Go to www.StrongerManNation.com for more resources.

What kind of life pleases God? According to Hebrews, it's a life of faith—and Pastor Josh McPherson makes it plain: faith is obedience. In this message, Pastor Josh calls Grace City Church into a continued season of consecration through prayer and fasting, urging the church to get “off the X” and move with urgent, wholehearted obedience. From Jonathan's climb toward overwhelming odds (1 Samuel 14) to the fresh hunger God is stirring in our people, this is a rallying cry to become a Jonathan Church—a remnant that runs toward the fight, trusts God for provision, and watches heaven respond.Support the showThanks for listening! Go to www.StrongerManNation.com for more resources.

In this catalytic message, Pastor Josh McPherson announces an audacious new chapter for Grace City Church: an opportunity to secure and steward 50 acres as a “forward operating base” for the Family Capital of the World—and the long-range vision of launching Vector West University, a four-year Christian institution aimed at forming courageous leaders with sharp minds, warm hearts, and strong bodies. Teaching from 1 Samuel 14, Pastor Josh calls the church to faithful risk, unified action, and dependence on the Lord for supernatural breakthrough, then lays out key prayer “fleeces” and an invitation to keep gathering in worship as God brings revival momentum.Support the showThanks for listening! Go to www.StrongerManNation.com for more resources.

Pastor Josh McPherson interviews Texas State Representative and Mercy Culture Pastor Nate Schatzline—fresh off preaching at Grace City Church during Church Camp 2026. Pastor Nate tells the story behind For Liberty & Justice (FL&J), a kingdom organization designed to mobilize churches for civic engagement, train leaders, and build actionable pathways for believers to step into government with humility, conviction, and biblical clarity. Together they explain why the church must stop retreating from the public square—especially in darker, increasingly hostile states. Now is time to take ground for the name of Jesus. Check out Church Camp Night 1 w/ Pastor Russel Johnson: https://www.youtube.com/live/MqIHthlj9rM?si=MSzHJNu9V9uqXWDi&t=1648Check out Church Camp Night 2 w/ Pastor Nate Schatzline: https://www.youtube.com/live/2BJC_WfQ8_E?si=H4VydSyvPBE4Wmd6&t=1516Support the showThanks for listening! Go to www.StrongerManNation.com for more resources.

In this first message of our new series, “The Art of War,” Pastor Josh McPherson sounds the alarm: there is a spiritual war, and you are in it—whether you recognize it or not. Pastor Josh presses us to stop treating Christianity like a social club and to embrace our calling as soldiers of the cross. We're invited to declare war on our own sin, refuse compromise with the world's value system, and stand firm against a real enemy who hates our union with Christ. Listen till the end for an exciting announcement of God's provision!Support the showThanks for listening! Go to www.StrongerManNation.com for more resources.

The guys react to actors Rainn Wilson and Mark Ruffalo denouncing any leftist celebrating Charlie Kirk's assassination. Washington Examiner national political reporter Salena Zito joins to share how Charlie Kirk's assassination is having a bigger impact on everyday Americans than people realize. Grace City Church lead pastor Josh McPherson joins to discuss the revival that is forming to honor Charlie Kirk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Glenn goes through who will attend the memorial service for civil rights leader Charlie Kirk, to be held this weekend at State Farm Stadium. Every faction of the Republican movement and even some of the Democrat side is expected to make an appearance to honor Charlie Kirk's legacy. The guys react to actors Rainn Wilson and Mark Ruffalo denouncing any leftist celebrating Charlie Kirk's assassination. Was ABC looking for a reason to oust Jimmy Kimmel due to his abysmal ratings? Glenn reacts to FCC Commissioner Brendan Carr's breakdown of Jimmy Kimmel's show being suspended. Washington Examiner national political reporter Salena Zito joins to share how Charlie Kirk's assassination is having a bigger impact on everyday Americans than people realize. Foundation for Defense of Democracies senior adjunct fellow Peter Doran joins to expose the global threat that looms over America as foreign enemies want Americans divided over Charlie Kirk's assassination. Grace City Church lead pastor Josh McPherson joins to discuss the revival that is forming to honor Charlie Kirk. Host of "Your Welcome" Michael Malice joins to discuss the Left being more outraged over Jimmy Kimmel's show being terminated than the political assassination of Charlie Kirk.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices