Weekly Update“…Jesus asked his disciples, ‘Who do people say that the Son of Man is?’” (Matt. 16:13) “He said the them, ‘But who do you say that I am?” (Matt. 16:15) Dear brothers and sister, in this weekly letter, we will reflect on the effectiveness of our conversations, especially on the ability to carry a discussion during personal evangelism. It’s no secret that many people worry, fear, and perhaps even avoid evangelism for one simple reason—they don’t know how to start…
Weekly UpdateEvery born-again Christian has been given spiritual gifts (Eph. 4:7), which are meant to be used in service to one another for the building up of the Church and the expansion of the Kingdom of Christ (Eph. 4:11-16). It is normal and expected for a believer to serve. It is not normal if a Christian is not serving or participating in the life of the Church. Unfortunately, there are brothers and sisters who do not engage in the life and…
Weekly Update“And they devoted themselves to the apostle’s teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers.” (Acts 2:42) This year, more than ever before, we are talking a lot about prayer. There is individual prayer, family prayer, and corporate (church) prayer. Any kind of prayer is a powerful tool given by God to His people. Blessed are those who use prayer as intended: to seek God and to ask Him to fulfill the promises He has given….
Weekly UpdateTwo amazing weeks took place at Grace Family Church—weeks that will surely remain in the memories of children, church members, and guests for many years to come! From June 7-16, the annual Vacation Bible School (VBS) camp took place, bringing the entire church together serving children! Everyone who entered the church building during those days stepped into the world of the Wild West—with cowboy hats and boots, old-fashioned streets and wooden stalls, lantern-lit caves, and even a railroad… At the…
Weekly UpdateAt the peak of the VBS busyness—for those who serve and for all others praying for this ministry—in the midst of jobs, studies, family plans, church events, health issues, housing concerns, car repairs, attempts to exercise and stay healthy, maintaining relationships with relatives and friends, striving to evangelize, show hospitality, visiting people, shopping, cooking, cleaning, making phone calls, filling out forms, and both active and not-so-active rest—we sometimes ask a simple philosophical question: How do we not go crazy from…
Weekly Update“Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.” (John 3:3) The birth of a child is a wonderful, amazing, and unforgettable event for a family. It’s not something you can miss or ignore. It changes the course and the life of the family – and of course, the life of the one who was born! A person is either born and alive, or not. There is no middle ground between…
Weekly UpdateIn Scripture, we, as the Church, are called to constant prayer. But why? In this short article, we will try to answer this question. “Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving. At the same time, pray also for us, that God may open to us a door for the word, to declare the mystery of Christ, on account of which I am in prison—that I may make it clear, which is how I ought to speak.” (Col….
Weekly UpdateLast Thursday marked the final day of Kids Bible School for the year. Kids, parents, teachers, helpers, and the church came together to celebrate God’s care for the church through children’s ministry as we graduated our sixth graders. We reflected on how Jesus is continuing what He began long ago—growing His kingdom now through the Holy Spirit among our children. I am grateful to all who participated and prayed for our school. My prayer is for all families to grow in their…
Weekly UpdateKids’ Bible School news: This Thursday at 6:30 PM, the whole church is invited to the Children’s Bible School celebration. From September to May, the Children’s Bible School assists parents in teaching the younger generation biblical truths with the goal of knowing God and growing up spiritually. This Thursday marks the end of another school year. Some of the children will be moving on to Jr. High Ministry, and for them, this will be a graduation evening. For everyone present,…
Weekly UpdateFrom time to time, we all need to examine our schedules, life rhythms, values, and priorities. For us, as believers, this is especially important because we have been left on this earth by God for a specific purpose – to spread the Kingdom of Christ throughout the world. But this global purpose is accomplished through setting measurable, concrete tasks. By fulfilling these, we reach the main goal. That is what we’ll briefly talk about today. How can we avoid mission…
Weekly UpdateA question was recently asked regarding faith and its growth: Is a person responsible for the growth of their faith? Although there is no direct command in the Bible that our faith must grow, we can still find several texts that speak about the growth of the faith of God’s children. “We do not boast beyond limit in the labors of others. But our hope is that as your faith increases, our area of influence among you may be greatly…
Weekly UpdateMemorized passages of Holy Scripture can truly be and will be effective tools in the battle against the temptation to sin. Why? God’s Word contains many warnings and promises that give strength to overcome the enticements of sin and the lies of the devil. “How can a young man keep his way pure? By guarding it according to your word.” (Ps. 119:9) How often do we apply this verse only to young people and completely ignore everyone else?! But the…
Weekly UpdateIt is not secret that each of us, consciously or not, is under someone’s influence. In Christianity, the concept of influence, discipleship, or mentorship is priced very highly. We intentionally influence one another and seek influence. What for? For our spiritual growth! Spiritual growth does not happen in a vacuum, but in healthy accountability, through a good example to follow, in a positive atmosphere where a person is encouraged by others to live a righteous and God-devoted life! But how…
Weekly UpdateRecently, during evangelism, one of the members of our church encountered a question about foot washing. The question was this: “Why don’t you wash one another’s feet, when Jesus Himself commands us to do so?” (John 13:14). In this article, we will try to explain why wo do not literally, physically wash each other’s feet, but still actively apply this teaching in our daily lives. First of all, let’s look at the text that raises this question: “If I then,…
Weekly UpdateWe continue to encourage you to participate in the ministry of reaching the Afghan people with the Gospel. When: Next Sunday April 6th after the first and second services Where: in the church lobby What: there will be offered embroidery/hand-crafted items made by widows and poor women in Afghanistan. This Bible Mission ministry provides employment for these women and gives them a chance to come into contact with Christians and hear the truth. It can also be a good tool…
Weekly UpdateA few weeks ago, we had a guest speaker at our Sunday Russian service who asked the gathered believers, “What should the Church be engaged in?” Without giving much time for deliberation, he answered his own question: “What a mother does for her family.” This response caught me off guard. While preaching the Gospel would be a Biblical answer, Alexandr took a more practical approach. He continued, “To feed, care for, nurture, resolve various conflicts between children, etc. But a…
Weekly UpdateDear Church, and everyone who is part of GFC, this is a short message for you: Pray to the Lord of the harvest! You may ask: “What should we pray for?” “The he said to his disciples, ‘The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.’” (Matt. 9:37-38) Prayer addresses two key aspects of missionary service: 1) The reluctance of people to leave their…
Weekly UpdateSpeaking about the missions and calling of people into ministry, we will sooner or later come to the sixth chapter of Isaiah and the phrase, “Here I am! Send me.” How many sermons have we heard on this chapter of the Scriptures?! How many important lessons have been drawn from this beautiful and powerful part of the Bible! And yet, sometimes we come across a sermon on this well-known text and we simple marvel once again at the beauty, wisdom,…
Weekly UpdateReading the last book by Alexey Kolomiytsev, Reformation of the Soul, I came across a reminder of the value, importance, and inevitability of repentance in the life of a true disciple of Jesus Christ. In the first chapter of this book, the author summarizes the meaning of true repentance: “God requires more from you than nominal church attendance. He needs you. Your heart. Your brokenness. Your awareness of your wrongs and sinfulness. Your trust. Your hope. Your obedience. Your love….
Weekly UpdateRarely we draw your attention to various external materials and resources, but in this case, we see it as necessary. We are truly living in the last days. Events are developing so quickly that we can hardly keep up with them. Many people are genuinely worried about what will happen next. And it is precisely what the Book of Daniel provides every believer with: the correct perspective on this world and how to not just survive in it, but to…
Weekly UpdateMartin Luther once said: “I have so much to do today that I shall spend the first three hours in prayer.” This statement was radical and difficult to grasp 500 years ago. Today, in an age of pragmatism and efficiency—even in Christianity—it may seem almost otherworldly. If we truly understand the essence of Scripture and the Gospel, we don’t need to be reminded that without God’s intervention, NOTHING we do will bear spiritual fruit or have any real impact! Just…
Weekly UpdateA couple of weeks ago, we studied the passage about Peter’s denial. Some people approached me with a question about another Scripture passage that also addresses the topic of denial – 2 Timothy 2:12. Now should we understand this verse in light of Peter’s denial and repentance, especially when this text speaks of God denying us? Are these passages in harmony with each other? To answer this question, we need to consider the context. The passage does not refer to…
Weekly UpdateAs Christians, we are all familiar with the “Great Commission” in Matthew 28:18-20: “And Jesus came and said to them, ‘All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in[a] the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.’”…
Weekly UpdateDear church, our upcoming baptism will take place on both morning services February 16th, at 9:00 AM (Rus.), and at 11:15 AM (Egn.). God saves people, gives them repentance, a second birth, and a desire to proclaim their faith that they are followers of Christ through water baptism. We believe that baptism must be done according to faith with a full submersion into the water, since this is how baptisms were done in the first church (Acts 8:37-38). This is…
Weekly UpdateDear church, last Sunday evening, during our service, we were delighted to welcome a new group of brothers and sisters into our church family. Today, we want to remind you to notice these new members and show them special attention and love. Below you will find a few practical steps that you can take. 1) Invite them to your home. This is a wonderful way to get to know them, pray together, and perhaps answer any of their questions (1…
