City Church Garland

In this sermon Pastor Mike Ward shared about one of our values here at City Church, Biblical Integrity. Biblical Integrity requires that we set aside our own agendas and diligently study God's word to faithfully obey it and faithfully communicate it to others.

In this sermon Pastor Keith gives 10 reasons to live joyfully generous lives and aims to convince the saints that it truly is "more blessed to give than to receive". Joyful Generosity is a value we have at City Church. God has been abundantly generous towards us and the effect of His generosity on us leads us to be joyfully generous towards others. Here are two great quotes shared in this sermon: "Giving is the only antidote to materialism. Giving is a joyful surrender to a greater person and greater agenda. It dethrones me and exalts Him." Randy Alcorn "The ministry of giving has many goals: spreading the gospel, sustaining the church, providing care for distressed individuals… The ministry of giving in all its forms aims to advance the kingdom of God, which becomes reality in human life whenever the values and priorities of Christ’s teaching are observed. It goes without saying that in this ministry, all God’s people are meant to be involved." J.I. Packer

In this sermon Pasto Mike Ward explains that the essential quality of Christian discipleship is nothing less than a radical, thoughtful and calculated commitment to faithfully following Jesus, even at the cost of our most significant relationships and personal safety.

In this sermon Kevin Diaz gives the basis for participation in the loving community of the local church. One of our values at City Church Loving Community – Our love for one another is the mark of following Jesus genuinely. We make it our aim to do life together, weeping with one another, rejoicing with one another, praying for one another, encouraging one another & living out all the “one anothers” of Scripture. One of the places this is walked out in our community groups that meet in homes on a regular basis.

In this teach on 1 Corinthians 14 Pastor Mike Ward explains that we must a mature/biblical perspective on the use of tongues and prophecy. And we must have order in the use of these spiritual gifts, with an ultimate submission to authority of Scripture.

In this sermon Pastor Keith explains how God desires the unity and maturity of His people. At City Church we value Unified Diversity. We embrace and honor diversity in our church. Heaven is and will be a place of diversity with people from every ethnic group. There are core truths of the gospel of Jesus Christ that unite us which we refuse to compromise. There are also secondary issues and preferences in which we give one another freedom to believe differently without judging or breaking fellowship.

In this teaching on 1 Corinthians 14 Pastor Keith explains what the gift of prophecy & speaking in tongues is, along with how it's properly used in the church. God has given every Christian the capacity yo build up others in the church through the use of gifts and abilities they possess. And Christian must seek to love and serve those in the church with their gifts. What Should Our Attitude Towards Spiritual Gifts Be? • Desire them earnestly -14:1, 39 • Don’t Despise-1 Thessalonians 5:19-20 • Don’t Forbid them- 1 Corinthians 14:39 Pursue love, and earnestly desire the spiritual gifts, especially that you may prophesy. 1 Cor. 14:1 Do not quench the Spirit. Do not despise prophecies, but test everything; hold fast what is good. Abstain from every form of evil. 1 Thessalonians 5:19-22 ESV How Should We Use Spiritual Gifts? • In Love -1 Corinthians 13, 14:1 • In Faith- Romans 12:6 • In Submission- 1 Corinthians 14:29-32 • In Humility- Ro

In this sermon on prayer from the teaching of Christ in Luke 18 Pastor Keith explains how: God desires that His people be faithful in prayerful so that they may experience all the blessings He has for them and see His will accomplished on earth. Jesus told the parable of the widow and the unjust judge to the effect that His people would pray always and not lose heart. May you live a prayerful life fueled with he perspective that Scripture gives on prayer & fueled by the power of the Holy Spirit. At City Church we value FAITHFUL PRAYER. We are aware of our own limitations and God‘s willingness and ability to do the impossible. So we pray and continue to believe that God hears us and will answer our prayers in His timing. Prayer changes things. It is the means that God has ordained for His kingdom to come and His will to be done on earth as it is in Heaven. The early church was a prayerful community and as they prayed the Holy Spirit moved powerfully among them.

In this teaching by Pastor Mike Ward he examines what it looks like to be truly spiritual or spiritually mature. In 1 Corinthians 13 the Apostle Paul describes the truly spiritual person as loving regardless how many spiritual gifts one has operating in their life. Without love we are spiritually bankrupt.

In this sermon preached by Dr. Justin Bass he gives us a glimpse of what drove the Apostle Paul to live on mission for Christ, as he took the gospel around the world. And he also looks at the inspiring example of the Moravian Missionaries who were pioneers in the modern missions movement, through their fervent and constant prayer and passion make Christ known where he wasn't known. May this sermon inspire and challenge you to participate in the mission of God that the Father calls all His children to participate in, whether it's praying, sending, financially supporting or going. Here at City Church we value Missional Living. We are a people on mission with God. God has invited us to join Him in reaching all peoples with the gospel message. So we live with a sense of mission aiming to speak about the good news of Christ.

In this message shared at our Men's Breakfast by Dr. Justin Bass he challenged men with the words of the Apostle Paul to the Corinthians: “Be on the alert, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong. Let all that you do be done in love.” ‭‭1 Corinthians‬ ‭16:13-14‬ ‭NASB We live in a time in history when there are numerous men who need to grow up and become responsible adults and contributors to society. The term that has been developed to describe this immature man is "man-child". May God use this message to wake up the man-child who is spiritually asleep and stir the hearts of men to be alert, courageous, strong and loving.

In this teaching Pastor Mike Ward explains the marks of people who are truly spiritual according to Scripture.

In this sermon on one of the core values of City Church Pastor Keith emphasizes the value of AUTHENTIC WORSHIP. Our worship of God is not merely external but internal from the heart. We not only aim to worship God accurately but affectionally. In our worship we respond to God’s beauty, truth & worth from the inside out. This involves thinking great thoughts about God, feeling affections for God & doing simple acts to obey God. Jesus said to the Samaritan woman in John chapter 4 “the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him. God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth” (John 4:23-24 ESV). It is possible to worship God in vain totally missing the heart & aim of worship by merely going through the motions expressing worship externally but not internally engaging. Jesus spoke to those religious folks in his day who did this saying: You hypocrit

In this sermon on Acts 27 and 28 Pastor Keith explains how God preserved Paul’s life through dangerous circumstances so that he could bear witness of the gospel in Rome. The Apostle Paul went through many difficult trials and storms. In Acts 27 there was a literal storm that Paul endured. When others lost hope for any rescue the Apostle Paul rose up in faith having a word that came from God and he encouraged the others aboard the ship.

In the sermon from Acts chapter 26 Pastor Keith give some practical tips on how to develop and effectively share your testimony like the Apostle Paul did with King Agrippa. The Apostle Paul was prepared to testify of God’s rescue in his life and to be effective gospel witnesses we must also be prepared. Paul share with story with structure and purpose. Paul's structure outline for sharing his story was: • Before Conversion- V4-11 • Conversion- V12-18 • After Conversion- V19-23 Paul shared his story with Readiness- V1-2 Paul shared his story with Respect- V2, 25 (most excellent Festus) Paul shared his story with Reason- V25 (I am speaking true and rational words) Paul sought to use language & words that were helpful and made sense to his audience. Paul shared his story with Relevance- V6-7, 27 (King Agrippa, do you believe the prophets? I know that you believe) Paul shared his story with Boldness-V26 (the king knows about these things, and to him I speak boldly.) Paul shar

In this sermon preached on Father's Day Pastor Keith seeks to get a high resolution snapshot of who God is and what He does. David gives us a clear view of God's character and deeds in Psalm 103 calling himself and all creation to respond in praise to the excellencies of God. David quotes Exodus 34:6 stating that "the Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love". This is the God we love and worship!

In this sermon preached by guest speaker Collin Seitz he highlights the life of the Apostle Paul being poured out for the sake of the gospel. Paul modeled a gospel-centered, missional-focused life and he exhorted other Christians to follow his example.

In this sermon from Acts chapter 19 Pastor Keith highlights how the Apostle Paul demonstrated boldness throughout the story in the book of Acts. And he explains the necessity for all Christians to be bold in order to be faithful gospel witnesses for Christ. What is Boldness? • Boldness is the willingness to take risks and act innovatively; confidence or courage. Dictionary • Boldness is freedom in speaking, unreservedness in speech, openly, frankly, i.e without concealment • Boldness is the courage to go where God leads and speak what God says. • "Boldness is acting, by the power of the Holy Spirit, on an urgent conviction in the face of some threat." - Jon Bloom Why Do We Need Boldness? To go where God leads us and speak what God tells us to speak. It takes boldness to follow Jesus and be a faithful witness. Without boldness we settle for comfortable lives of vanity. We need boldness because there are many threats and adversaries who oppose Christianity and it's mes

In this sermon Pastor Keith explains how God desires that each Christian accurately and intimately know the redemptive history of the gospel and fully experience the benefits of the gospel.

In this sermon preached by Pastor Mike Ward he explains how the power of God through the gospel is the power to transform lives and change the world. God has chosen the church to carry this transformative gospel to the world for the glory of Jesus' name.