Today’s Friday Focus episode features a powerful excerpt from The 2026 Worship Conference, capturing a key moment from the opening night of the event. In this session, Dr. Greg Stiekes delivers a thoughtful and challenging message that calls believers to examine how the Word of Christ must shape and govern the life of the church as a corporate body. Drawing attention to the responsibility of the gathered people of God, Dr. Stiekes presses beyond individual devotion and highlights the necessity of shared submission to Scripture in our worship, ministry, and life together.

This excerpt serves as a timely reminder that true worship is not driven by preference, personality, or performance, but by a collective commitment to conform every aspect of church life to the authority of Christ’s Word. To learn more about The Worship Conference, including its purpose and upcoming events, or to listen to all of the conference sessions in their entirety, visit www.theworshipconference.org.

Greg Stiekes, often known as Pastor Greg, has served as pastor of Gateway Baptist Church since April 2017, initially part-time while teaching at BJU Seminary and transitioning to full-time ministry in 2024 as the church grew. Raised in the Detroit area as the son of an independent Baptist pastor, he trusted Christ as a child and committed to preaching and teaching God’s Word during high school. Greg holds degrees from Bob Jones University, Central Seminary, Erskine Theological Seminary, and Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary, and has served in a variety of ministry roles including associate pastor, church planter, youth pastor, and senior pastor in Michigan, Wisconsin, Minnesota, and North Carolina, as well as on the faculties of Northland Baptist Bible College and BJU Seminary. His teaching focuses on New Testament studies, Greek exegesis, homiletics, apologetics, and biblical worship, and he remains active in writing and theological service. Greg and his wife Rena have five adult children and several grandchildren, and he joyfully shepherds the Gateway family with a desire to see Christ known, loved, and proclaimed.

*Bio taken from www.gatewaytr.org