ACTS Intensives

We here at GCM are excited to announce something new for 2020 – the ACTS Intensive! The Intensive is a weekend-long retreat held at ACTS that is built around the theme of discipleship. We want to share our passion for discipleship with other Christians, but we also see this as a great opportunity to give an interested young person a taste of what our larger programs (Essentials or Ascent) are like. Room, board, and everything else all for only $35. Space is limited so make your reservation today!

New GCM Video

Great Commandments Ministries has just released a brand-new video. Enjoy and feel free to share with a friend!

Sermon Text – 2 Peter 1:3-11

Had the privilege of preaching this past Sunday at First CRC in Lynden. This was my text:

His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence, by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire. For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love. For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. For whoever lacks these qualities is so nearsighted that he is blind, having forgotten that he was cleansed from his former sins. Therefore, brothers, be all the more diligent to confirm your calling and election, for if you practice these qualities you will never fall. For in this way there will be richly provided for you an entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. 

Click here for sermon audio.

“Before You Go: What No Missionary Should Go Without”

A couple weeks ago, I was given the opportunity to do some teaching at Communion Church on missions. Here’s the link to my session.

Video – What Is GCM?

As I mentioned a few months back, we’ve had some major changes, from pastoring a church in Bellingham to joining the staff of Great Commandments Ministries (or GCM) in Tieton (just west of Yakima). We are over-the-moon excited to be a part of this great ministry and can’t wait to get started this fall with the next sessions of the ACTS Essentials program (we still have a lot of open spots for this, so if you know of anyone who might be interested, please contact me). In the meantime, we are fully engaged in building up our support team. If you are interested in regularly praying for us and/or would like to support us financially, please let me know.

To give you an idea of what GCM is about, I’m including the following introductory video featuring the director – Jeff Sutton – as well as a few alumni. It’s a little dated – we are not currently running the Missions Intensive part of the program – but this will give you a good overview of the vision and work that we’re involved in.

Sermon – “The God of All Comfort”

Had the privilege of preaching at Redeemer Presbyterian Church in Soldotna, AK back on the 5th of May. Their founding pastor – Andrew Allen – had recently gone home to be with the Lord after a two-year fight against lung cancer.

In light of his passing, I chose the following text for my sermon:

¹³ But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about those who are asleep, that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope. ¹⁴ For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep. ¹⁵ For this we declare to you by a word from the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep. ¹⁶ For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. ¹⁷ Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord. ¹⁸ Therefore encourage one another with these words. 

– 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18

Click here for the sermon audio.

Poets Corner – Amy Carmichael

And shall I pray Thee change Thy will, my Father?
Until it be according unto mine?
But, no, Lord, no, that never shall be, rather
I pray Thee blend my human will with Thine.
I pray Thee hush the hurrying, eager longing,
I pray Thee soothe the pangs of keen desire:
See in my quiet places wishes thronging,
Forbid them, Lord, purge, though it be with fire.
And work in me to will and do Thy pleasure,
Let all within me, peaceful, reconciled,
Tarry content my Well-beloved’s leisure,
At last, at last, even as a weaned child.