We gather every Sunday to hear the gospel of Jesus Christ proclaimed. God's Word is preached and the Holy Spirit transforms our hearts. We expect to encounter Jesus and be equipped to better serve him each week.
Thanks to all who missed the sermon because you were serving during the service. We are grateful for you and couldn't have done it without you. Enjoy listening to the recording.
February is our Church Membership Month. Each Sunday you’ll hear teaching and member testimonies pertaining to the four aspects that define our culture: joyful, generous, ordinary, neighbors. This week we focused on joy.
Joy is a defining virtue of our church and our family of churches. The source of our joy is the gospel. We believe that Jesus was the Son of God who lived, died, and rose from the grave to save all those who have faith. Our sin is atoned for and we get to experience the fullness of joy in God’s presence (Psalm 16:11). As we hear and embrace the gospel our natural response is to rejoice! It’s truly good news of great joy for all people (Luke 2:10). This joy is clearly evident in our member’s passionate singing, relationships, and cheerful acts of service.
Make a point to meditate on joy this week. How does the gospel inform your joy? How does the church help make you more joyful? How can we experience more joy in our lives? Hit the button to read an article from a leader in our denomination to help you get started. It’s our desire that God would continue to grow and sustain our joy. We’re grateful to be a part of of joyful church.
Joy is a defining characteristic of our church culture. Last Sunday we asked Chris—a faithful member of our church—to tell us how being a part of the church has increased his joy. Read what he had to say below.
Hello Sovereign Grace,
My name is Chris Jonas and I have been a member of Sovereign Grace Church since 2020 with my wife Bree and daughter Zoe.
I’m excited this morning to be able to share a little bit of my testimony on the joy that I have being a part of this great church. Back in 2016, I began learning about reformed theology, and I noticed that my priorities on what I wanted in a home church were changing. I remember feeling a heavy conviction and a responsibility to be a part of a church where the pastors would preach the full gospel. Not a watered-down version of the gospel that I became accustomed to. I am overjoyed that conviction carried me to Sovereign Grace Church. Our pastors have led us through the Bible and helped grow my understanding of God’s word. So, thank you pastors for caring for this congregation by preaching and teaching God’s word in fullness and in truth.
For those of you who don’t know, I was born with an inherited blood disease called sickle cell. I spent most of my childhood in and out of the hospital while taking pain medication to manage the discomfort. As I grew, I became dependent on medication. I would take between 15-30mg of hydrocodone a day just to be able to function. This was my normal. But when I found out that we were going to be parents, I knew my normal needed to change. So, I reached out to Pastor Dustin and asked for prayer because I knew this undertaking was going to be challenging. It brings me great joy to share that with prayer from our pastors, and with the Lord’s grace, I am no longer dependent on medication. Even on days when I’m not feeling great and dealing with health issues, I know the Lord is sovereign, which gives me every reason to be joyful.
Now, around the time we became members, we joined Dylan & Christy Sohie’s small group. Only God knew at the time how much I would be blessed by this small group. Back in 2021, I experienced some depression while being over worked and underpaid at my job. I knew I needed to start looking for a better position but feared that a new role would limit the flexibility I had working from home. I intended to work on my resume in the beginning of 2022, but never got around to it. I lacked motivation and couldn’t get myself to lift a finger. During this time, Dylan and I had been talking about a possible position open at his company, and he prompted me to send him my resume… the one I couldn’t get around to updating. The day I finally updated my resume, I noticed that my sister emailed me a job posting for a position at the company I was already working for. On a whim, I decided to submit my resume to that position, and the next day I was contacted by the recruiter and got the job within 48 hours. My new job pays more, gives me the same flexibility, and gives me the work/life balance that I lack in my previous role. I believe that the Lord strategically used Dylan and the prayers of our small group to open a door that became such a blessing to my family and I. Being a part of a small group that prays for me and is there to encourage me in the midst of my trails, really helped me maintain joy even in a season of uncertainty.
God is faithful, church. He cares about us. He cares about our joy. These are all testaments of how being a part of this church has brought me joy, even when I am faced with adversity. James 1:2-4 says, “Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing”.
Church, we’ve all faced challenging seasons, and some of us might be in one now, but I’m here to encourage you to let God work in your life through this church. Let our great Savior perfect your faith every Sunday by sitting in those seats and let Him strengthen your spirit by considering being a part of a small group. In John 15:11, the Lord says that “[His] joy may be in us, and that [our] joy may be full”. Thank you for listening.
This Sunday marks the beginning of our Church Membership Month! We’ll begin the month with baptisms (2/5) and end by introducing our new members (2/26). Along the way you’ll hear member testimonies pertaining to the four aspects that define our culture: joyful, generous, ordinary, neighbors. We even have a few surprises planned.
If you’re interested in membership, we want to hear from you. Hit the button below to get in contact with a pastor.
Plan to stay a few minutes after the Sunday Service for baptisms. We’re excited to see two of our friends—Greg and Martin—give a public testimony of what Christ has done in their lives. It all takes place in the Woman’s Club Garden.
Scripture commands us to regularly pray for our brothers and sisters in Christ (Eph 6:8). That’s why we’re asking you to take a moment and pray for Pastor Dan—a pastor from one of our partner churches in Colorado. He has been battling cancer and receiving weekly treatments for awhile. The cancer was thought to be in remission, but doctors recently discovered it’s still active. Please pray for Pastor Dan and his family as they discuss his treatment options going forward. Ask God to give them wisdom, comfort, and health.
We’re introducing a new song this Sunday. Read the lyrics below or hit the button to listen. We can’t wait to worship the Lord together.
VERSE 1
All praise to Him, the God of light
Who formed the mountains by His might
All praise to Him Who names the stars
That sing His fame in skies afar
All praise to Him Who reigns in love
Who guides the galaxies above
Yet bends to hear our every prayer
With sovereign pow’r and tender care
VERSE 2
All praise to Him whose love is seen
In Christ the Son, the Servant King
Who left behind His glorious throne
To pay the ransom for His own
All praise to Him Who humbly came
To bear our sorrow, sin, and shame
Who lived to die, Who died to rise
The all-sufficient sacrifice
VERSE 3
All praise to Him whose pow’r imparts
The love of God within our hearts
The Spirit of all truth and peace
The fount of joy and holiness
To Father, Son, and Spirit now
Our souls we lift, our wills we bow
To You, the triune God, we raise
With loving hearts our song of praise
