Missionary Trips 2025
A 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 mother is a mother because she bears children. A biblically healthy church must also bear children.”
Pastor Kalinskiy then dove into Acts 13:1-6 to expound on what the Holy Spirit shapes in a biblically healthy church. He examined four key elements that enable a healthy church to fulfill its purpose: multiplying disciples and churches, with every member striving toward this goal. The underlying truth that was repeated is that a church which is alive will produce disciples, train them, and send them out. This is the pattern we find in Acts.
Specifically, in Acts 13, we observe how the Holy Spirit prepares the church to separate and send out servants for God’s kingdom, expanding the boundaries of Christ’s church. No local congregation was ever meant to solely invest in itself and build “The Mecca.” To borrow Alexandr’s words, “Every church is either fervently praying and building a birthing center, or from the start, building a ‘nursing home.’ A living spring and a quiet swamp smell very different.”
The big idea is that the signs of a healthy church are when, by the power of the Holy Spirit, the church produces disciples, trains them, and sends them out! A crucial question each member must ask themselves is, “Where am I in this process?” In Acts 13, the church separates its absolute best to send them out for mission work and to expand the kingdom.
This sermon should leave us questioning whether Grace Family Church is healthy or not. Are we growing a stinky swamp, or are we allowing the Holy Spirit to produce within us a fountain of refreshing springs that will bless North Highlands, California, and the ends of the earth? Are we practically willing to start sending out our absolute best to continue the very work our Lord Jesus began?
I invite everyone reading this letter to use the link below to listen again to the sermon. My prayer is that, as you listen, the Holy Spirit would lead you to prayerfully ask, “Am I building a Mecca or God’s Kingdom?”
God is giving Grace Family Church many opportunities to participate in His work of expanding His kingdom. I invite you to join in prayer for the following events. Add these to your calendars and daily reminders, asking God to work through these events to glorify Christ Jesus by adding people to the church! But don’t stop there—prayerfully consider allowing the Holy Spirit to use you by joining these projects. Thinking of Christ and His greatest display of sacrificial love poured into our lives, one cannot stand unmoved. It becomes our greatest joy and dream to see God move in us and through us!
Local VBS
– June 7-11: English
– June 12-16: Russian
– Sign up here
Overseas VBS
– Torun, Poland: July 7-11
– Torrevieja, Spain: July 14-18
– Strasbourg, France: July 28-August 1
Important:
If you’re interested in an overseas mission trip, you’re invited to the Overseas Missions 2025 Open House on Tuesday, March 25th at 6pm in the GFC Coffee Corner.
If you have any questions about missions, feel free to contact me at 916-662-4768.
May the Lord be with you all!
“To feed, care for, nurture, resolve various conflicts between children, etc. But a mother is a mother because she bears children. A biblically healthy church must also bear children.”
Pastor Kalinskiy then dove into Acts 13:1-6 to expound on what the Holy Spirit shapes in a biblically healthy church. He examined four key elements that enable a healthy church to fulfill its purpose: multiplying disciples and churches, with every member striving toward this goal. The underlying truth that was repeated is that a church which is alive will produce disciples, train them, and send them out. This is the pattern we find in Acts.
Specifically, in Acts 13, we observe how the Holy Spirit prepares the church to separate and send out servants for God’s kingdom, expanding the boundaries of Christ’s church. No local congregation was ever meant to solely invest in itself and build “The Mecca.” To borrow Alexandr’s words, “Every church is either fervently praying and building a birthing center, or from the start, building a ‘nursing home.’ A living spring and a quiet swamp smell very different.”
The big idea is that the signs of a healthy church are when, by the power of the Holy Spirit, the church produces disciples, trains them, and sends them out! A crucial question each member must ask themselves is, “Where am I in this process?” In Acts 13, the church separates its absolute best to send them out for mission work and to expand the kingdom.
This sermon should leave us questioning whether Grace Family Church is healthy or not. Are we growing a stinky swamp, or are we allowing the Holy Spirit to produce within us a fountain of refreshing springs that will bless North Highlands, California, and the ends of the earth? Are we practically willing to start sending out our absolute best to continue the very work our Lord Jesus began?
I invite everyone reading this letter to use the link below to listen again to the sermon. My prayer is that, as you listen, the Holy Spirit would lead you to prayerfully ask, “Am I building a Mecca or God’s Kingdom?”
God is giving Grace Family Church many opportunities to participate in His work of expanding His kingdom. I invite you to join in prayer for the following events. Add these to your calendars and daily reminders, asking God to work through these events to glorify Christ Jesus by adding people to the church! But don’t stop there—prayerfully consider allowing the Holy Spirit to use you by joining these projects. Thinking of Christ and His greatest display of sacrificial love poured into our lives, one cannot stand unmoved. It becomes our greatest joy and dream to see God move in us and through us!
Local VBS
– June 7-11: English
– June 12-16: Russian
– Sign up here
Overseas VBS
– Torun, Poland: July 7-11
– Torrevieja, Spain: July 14-18
– Strasbourg, France: July 28-August 1
Important:
If you’re interested in an overseas mission trip, you’re invited to the Overseas Missions 2025 Open House on Tuesday, March 25th at 6pm in the GFC Coffee Corner.
If you have any questions about missions, feel free to contact me at 916-662-4768.
May the Lord be with you all!
Announcements
Continue supporting the churches working among the people who have suffered from the war in Ukraine. Go to our Give page or click the Donate button below. Select "Mission to Ukraine" fund when donating.
Scripture To Memorize
In the year that King Uzziah died I saw the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up; and the train of his robe filled the temple. 2 Above him stood the seraphim. Each had six wings: with two he covered his face, and with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew.
3 And one called to another and said:
“Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts;
the whole earth is full of his glory!”
4 And the foundations of the thresholds shook at the voice of him who called, and the house was filled with smoke. 5 And I said: “Woe is me! For I am lost; for I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts!”
6 Then one of the seraphim flew to me, having in his hand a burning coal that he had taken with tongs from the altar. 7 And he touched my mouth and said: “Behold, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away, and your sin atoned for.”
8 And I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?” Then I said, “Here I am! Send me.”
Isaiah 6:1-8
3 And one called to another and said:
“Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts;
the whole earth is full of his glory!”
4 And the foundations of the thresholds shook at the voice of him who called, and the house was filled with smoke. 5 And I said: “Woe is me! For I am lost; for I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts!”
6 Then one of the seraphim flew to me, having in his hand a burning coal that he had taken with tongs from the altar. 7 And he touched my mouth and said: “Behold, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away, and your sin atoned for.”
8 And I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?” Then I said, “Here I am! Send me.”
Isaiah 6:1-8
Upcoming Services and Meetings
- Thursday (6:30 PM) – Kid’s Bible School (open to all but required for parents), followed by a prayer service at 7:30 PM.
- Saturday (8:00 – 9:30 AM) – Men’s prayer breakfast
- Saturday (9:30 AM – 12:00 PM) – Neighborhood outreach
- Sunday services:
- Worship Service in Russian at 9:00 AM
- Worship Service in English at 11:15 AM
Recent
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April 24th, 2025
How to Find a Mentor for Yourself?
April 16th, 2025
How we wash each other’s feet
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The Gospel for Afghan People
April 4th, 2025
Missionary Trips 2025
March 25th, 2025
Pray to the Lord of the harvest
March 18th, 2025
“Here I am! Send me”
March 13th, 2025
Repentance
March 6th, 2025
Pastors’ Conference “Lord of the History”
February 26th, 2025
The Importance of Prayer Meetings
February 18th, 2025
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