Glory of Christ Fellowship

Athanasius was born in the late third century A.D. (ca. 295). Little is known about his family or educational background, except that he was trained for the ministry at the historic center in Alexandria, Egypt. He had a great passion for God and his Word, which inspired his friend Gregory of Nazianzus to write, “From meditating on every book of the Old and New Testaments, with a depth such as none else has applied even to one of them, he grew rich in contemplation, rich in splendor of life” ( Oration 21.6). It is not surprising, then, to hear that Athanasius wrote two significant works before he was twenty years old, after which he was ordained as a Deacon in 319, played a significant role in the Council of Nicaea in 325, and was ordained Bishop of Alexandria in 328. As Bishop, he received immediate and sustained opposition from the Arians and others who sympathized with them. Since he was short and dark-skinned, his opponents mockingly referred to him as “the black dwarf,” and su...

Aside from Jesus Christ himself, the Apostle Paul is undoubtedly the most prominent person in Christian history. Through his missionary activities, his letters to the churches, and his influence on other New Testament authors like Luke and Peter, Paul’s impact on the church, and indeed the world, are hard to conceive much less articulate. He is, in the best sense of the word, a hero to all who call Jesus their Savior, Lord, and King. Given Paul’s extraordinary stature, evident even in his lifetime, what do you suppose was his self-perception? Although several texts address this question well, 2 Corinthians 4:7-11 takes us near to Paul’s heart. He wrote, “But we have this treasure [the gospel of the glory of Christ] in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us. We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying in the body the death of ...

Glory of Christ Fellowship (GCF) exists to make disciples of all nations by living lives of worship, walking together in community, and engaging in the mission of Christ that we may grow to full maturity for the glory of Christ. This statement is comprised of three parts: (1) The Mission—to make disciples of all nations; (2) The Strategy—worship, community, and mission; (3) The Vision—to grow to full maturity for the glory of Christ. With regard to our mission, GCF exists to make disciples. Disciples are those who believe in Jesus Christ as he is revealed in the Bible, who are learning to love him with all their heart and soul and mind and strength, and who are learning to love others as they love themselves. In other words, disciples are lovers of God and others who gain the power to love through Jesus Christ. As we grow in love, our passion is to build a way of life together that’s comprised of worship, community, and mission. By “worship” we mean things like delighting in a...

The Apostle Peter drew his second letter to a close with these wise and pastoral words: “But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be the glory both now and to the day of eternity. Amen” (2 Peter 3:18). The word “grow” is an exhortation and a command, and it implies that if we’re to progress in Christ we must play an active role, by the grace of Christ, in building habits that nurture that progress. Therefore, I am offering a series of devotionals this summer and early fall on eight essential habits that help us to grow in grace. For today, let’s consider the place of mercy in the Christian life. As I wrote last week, to grow in the grace and knowledge of Christ, we must flow with the grace and knowledge of Christ toward others. To be shaped into the image of him who saved us, we must join in his mission to seek and save the lost, part of which is to show grace and mercy to those who are weak or in need of some kind of help. In Matthew 25:31-46, Je...

Scripture doesn’t command the church to have a Sunday School program for their children, believe it or not. Yet, given cultural considerations and some wisdom in applying the totality of Scripture GCF believes it is a good idea to have a Sunday School program for our children. Here are five reasons why that will help you understand how we think about this ministry.  To Support Parents in making Disciples Jesus makes it clear that his church is devoted to making disciples. Scripture also makes it clear that parents are the ones who are primarily responsible for discipling their children (Psalm 78:1-8). Thus, any good Sunday School program allows a pastor to effectively shepherd his flock by outlining a spiritual pathway forward for the children and youth to pursue. This is to be viewed by parents as one part of their child’s discipleship. Parents should also view the program as an opportunity to be guided into the types of things they should prioritize in their child’s dis...