Watch video on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fmeiVRgkK-w
Program Transcript
GCI President Update | January 2025
Kingdom Living & Kingdom Culture
Colossians is a wonderfully inspiring letter written from Paul an apostle of Christ, not self-appointed, rather appointed by the will of the triune God written to the saints — faithful, Christ-following sisters and brothers in Colosse (and for Christ-followers from the early church to us in the 21st century).
Highlights from the first chapter of the letter give us some great insights as we begin 2025.
In verses 3-5, first and foremost, we identify with Christ (one of the most Christ-centered letters of the NT). We identify with Christ and His most pronounced virtues — Faith, Hope, and Love. This is His nature, and He gifts us with these virtues to transform us and to equip us so that we participate with Him in His ministry. We have been on this track for awhile and we will continue forward.
Allow me to read Paul’s prayer for the believers in Colosse:
Colossians 1:9 For this reason, since the day we heard it, we have not ceased praying for you and asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of God’s will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, 10 so that you may lead lives worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him, as you bear fruit in every good work and as you grow in the knowledge of God. 11 May you be made strong with all the strength that comes from his glorious power, and may you be prepared to endure everything with patience, while joyfully 12 giving thanks to the Father, who has enabled you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the light. 13 He has rescued us from the power of darkness and transferred us into the kingdom of his beloved Son, 14 in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.
Allow me to summarize:
- To have “knowledge of God’s will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding … bearing fruit in every good work.” I am not one to use words like all and every; it seems too certain and dogmatic. Yet Paul uses these words intentionally. He urges us to seek God’s understanding and wisdom in all matters. Then he doesn’t want us to only bear fruit in a few areas, he desires that we grow in every aspect — love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control — every good fruit.
- Ever increasing in our knowing of the triune God revealed in Jesus, not holding back because the one God in three Persons is a mystery, rather jumping in to see what is revealed to us about this amazing God in: 1) The words of Scripture, 2) What we learn from trusted teachers, and 3) Then what we know from our relational walk with Father, Son, and Spirit.
- God the Father has delivered us from the dominion of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved son. Eugene Peterson’s Message Bible says, “God rescued us from dead-end alleys and dark dungeons. He’s set us up in the kingdom of the Son he loves so much the Son who got us out of the pit we were in, got rid of the sins we were doomed to keep repeating.”
We, along with the saints in Colosse, have been transported from the dark corners of a fallen world into the glorious light of the kingdom of God. Hallelujah!
Kingdom Culture will be the GCI theme for 2025.
We will explore how we live and walk into the reality of being saints as God sees us rather than the self-talk of being sinners held captive by the darkness around us.
As we collectively grow in the grace and knowing of Jesus, we will think and act as citizens of the eternal kingdom, representing Jesus and pointing to Him.
Even though we live in the tension of the “already but not yet” — signifying that the kingdom is here now, but not in its fullness — we want to embrace the “nowness” of the kingdom. We want to demonstrate the goodness of Jesus as we bear fruit in every good work. We want to proclaim the goodness of Jesus as we point others toward Him in all opportunities.
Then Paul concludes this chapter by stating that his everyday efforts are to preach Christ and help bring all (that word again) believers into maturity in Christ. These are the same goals and work-related priorities for GCI today as we enter a New Year.
I am Greg Williams speaking to you about the life of the church and wishing you a “Happy New Year” in the Lord!
Program Transcript
GCI President Update | January 2025
Kingdom Living & Kingdom Culture
Colossians is a wonderfully inspiring letter written from Paul an apostle of Christ, not self-appointed, rather appointed by the will of the triune God written to the saints — faithful, Christ-following sisters and brothers in Colosse (and for Christ-followers from the early church to us in the 21st century).
Highlights from the first chapter of the letter give us some great insights as we begin 2025.
In verses 3-5, first and foremost, we identify with Christ (one of the most Christ-centered letters of the NT). We identify with Christ and His most pronounced virtues — Faith, Hope, and Love. This is His nature, and He gifts us with these virtues to transform us and to equip us so that we participate with Him in His ministry. We have been on this track for awhile and we will continue forward.
Allow me to read Paul’s prayer for the believers in Colosse:
Colossians 1:9 For this reason, since the day we heard it, we have not ceased praying for you and asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of God’s will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, 10 so that you may lead lives worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him, as you bear fruit in every good work and as you grow in the knowledge of God. 11 May you be made strong with all the strength that comes from his glorious power, and may you be prepared to endure everything with patience, while joyfully 12 giving thanks to the Father, who has enabled you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the light. 13 He has rescued us from the power of darkness and transferred us into the kingdom of his beloved Son, 14 in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.
Allow me to summarize:
- To have “knowledge of God’s will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding … bearing fruit in every good work.” I am not one to use words like all and every; it seems too certain and dogmatic. Yet Paul uses these words intentionally. He urges us to seek God’s understanding and wisdom in all matters. Then he doesn’t want us to only bear fruit in a few areas, he desires that we grow in every aspect — love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control — every good fruit.
- Ever increasing in our knowing of the triune God revealed in Jesus, not holding back because the one God in three Persons is a mystery, rather jumping in to see what is revealed to us about this amazing God in: 1) The words of Scripture, 2) What we learn from trusted teachers, and 3) Then what we know from our relational walk with Father, Son, and Spirit.
- God the Father has delivered us from the dominion of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved son. Eugene Peterson’s Message Bible says, “God rescued us from dead-end alleys and dark dungeons. He’s set us up in the kingdom of the Son he loves so much the Son who got us out of the pit we were in, got rid of the sins we were doomed to keep repeating.”
We, along with the saints in Colosse, have been transported from the dark corners of a fallen world into the glorious light of the kingdom of God. Hallelujah!
Kingdom Culture will be the GCI theme for 2025.
We will explore how we live and walk into the reality of being saints as God sees us rather than the self-talk of being sinners held captive by the darkness around us.
As we collectively grow in the grace and knowing of Jesus, we will think and act as citizens of the eternal kingdom, representing Jesus and pointing to Him.
Even though we live in the tension of the “already but not yet” — signifying that the kingdom is here now, but not in its fullness — we want to embrace the “nowness” of the kingdom. We want to demonstrate the goodness of Jesus as we bear fruit in every good work. We want to proclaim the goodness of Jesus as we point others toward Him in all opportunities.
Then Paul concludes this chapter by stating that his everyday efforts are to preach Christ and help bring all (that word again) believers into maturity in Christ. These are the same goals and work-related priorities for GCI today as we enter a New Year.
I am Greg Williams speaking to you about the life of the church and wishing you a “Happy New Year” in the Lord!
We invite you to join us for this U.S. Home Church sermon by Greg Williams. Clothed in Christ
P.S. Our hearts and prayers go out to our members, friends, and all victims who are suffering from the devastation caused by the wildfires in southern California. The multiple fires have been fueled by the strong Santa Anna winds, and we continue to beseech Jesus to calm the winds and for the fires to be put out. We have been able to work with our local pastors to be able to get emergency funds to our members who have lost their homes and possessions. And yet there will be long-term effects, and rebuilding houses and lives will take years. Let’s not languish in our prayer support or allow this catastrophic event to become old news while people continue to suffer. More information about the GCI Disaster Relief Fund is available here.
We also pray for the people of Southeast Australia who are facing extreme fire risk due to dry conditions and a heatwave.
When one suffers, we all suffer.
Greg Williams
