GBC Empower

We ask what fellowship really means and why it is far more than just hanging out with church friends. We unpack how a shared love for Jesus turns an ordinary community into a witness that draws people toward faith. 
• celebrating Kara Garrett’s behind-the-scenes service and heart for missions 
• defining fellowship through the New Testament meaning of “common” rooted in Christ 
• tracing Acts 2 and John 13 on love that becomes visible proof of discipleship 
• contrasting Christian fellowship with cliques and country-club religion 
• showing how small groups shape trust through time together, prayer meals, and honesty 
• encouraging introverts and extroverts to practice fellowship in their own way 
Loving God + Loving People= Making Disciples

We share why we’re leaning into a new series on the Symptoms of a Healthy Church and how our vision to revive, equip, and empower shapes what we preach and practice. We also challenge every member to take ownership, grow through Scripture and prayer, and serve together so the church stays faithful and fruitful. 
• Nativity Live preparation, gratitude for the team, and why building early helps people rest 
• The vision of being a city on a hill that revives, equips, and empowers 
• Why we’re teaching on the symptoms of a healthy church rather than assuming health 
• The six marks we’re aiming for: prayer, worship, the Word, discipleship, community, mission 
• Rooted in Scripture as a daily habit for the whole church, not only the preacher 
• Letting the Bible correct our assumptions, advice, and weak spots 
• Community as a witness to the world and a training ground for love and service 
• A personal call for members to sacrifice, serve, and pull the rope together for kingdom growth 

We talk about why Georgetown proudly partners with other churches through the Grayson Baptist Association and why cooperation matters more than competition when the gospel stays central. We also share our thinking on denominations, church autonomy, and the non-negotiables that define real Christian unity. 

• celebrating Jamie Dyer and the quiet value of behind-the-scenes service 
• previewing the Grayson Baptist Association Annual Meeting and why we’re excited to host 
• explaining what Southern Baptist identity means without making it the main thing 
• describing church autonomy and why we still choose association and partnership 
• sharing how we relate to non-denominational and other denominational churches 
• naming the gospel as the center: Jesus crucified, risen, and coming again 
• warning to pay attention to what a church teaches about Jesus and salvation 
• pointing to Acts and the Jerusalem Council as a model for unity with guardrails 
• using a parenting analogy to explain discernment and shared values 
• celebrating God’s work across Grayson County churches and ministries 

We sit down with Seth Cockerham, a detective who investigates internet crimes against children (Sensitive Material). We talk about why he believes God calls him to speak up for kids who have no voice. We get practical about digital parenting, from engagement at home to parental controls, and we name the real online threats families in our community face. 

• Seth’s path into crimes against children work and why it becomes a calling 
• Using social media as a platform for child safety education despite pushback 
• Handling dark cases while staying grounded as a husband, dad, and Christian 
• The simplest protection step for parents: consistent engagement and listening 
• Resetting boundaries with teens through clear, honest communication 
• Why talking about uncomfortable topics beats repairing trauma later 
• Key online safety risks, including solicitation and sextortion 
• Practical steps for phones and tablets, including parental controls 
If you have any questions, find Seth, not us. 

You can follow Seth Cockerham on TikTok (@texasdetective) and on Instagram (@texasdetectiveoffical)

We celebrate faithful, behind-the-scenes service and explain why small acts of hospitality can shape a church’s culture. We share clear next steps for growing through discipleship and community, then zoom out to the call to care for widows, the homebound, and others who need extra help. 
• spotlighting Wally and Rhonda Johnson’s service on the coffee bar team 
• raising the bar while meeting people where they are 
• avenues to grow through Sunday worship, Sunday school, and midweek groups 
• upcoming worship and tech meeting and senior adult fellowship 
• what the deacon family ministry is and why it matters 
• practical ways to serve marginalized neighbors beyond church programs 
 

We trade stories and laughs before getting serious about why Revelation’s language feels so blunt and why that bluntness can be a gift. We wrestle with defensiveness, conviction, and accountability, landing on a simple truth we need to hear: God corrects us to rescue us, not to shame us. 

 
• shouting out AJ Hempkins for leading the Area 51 Bible study at school 
• sitting with the tension between Western culture and biblical language 
• hearing Jesus’ warning to Pergamum about harmful doctrine 
• separating empty criticism from loving correction 
• learning why we get defensive when corrected 
• seeing friendship and marriage as iron sharpens iron 
• naming personal holiness drift and the role of the Holy Spirit 
• choosing real church accountability that protects families and the body 

We wrestle out loud with the question of whether parents should make their kids go to church, and we refuse to pretend the answer is simple when sports, burnout, and family pressure are real. We keep coming back to one measuring stick: our kids will follow what we consistently value, not what we claim to value. 
• member shout-out for Coach Jeff Henderson and the impact of steady leadership 
• why the “make them come” question keeps coming up for Christian parents 
• the difference between healthy breaks and church becoming optional by default 
• how good activities can turn into idols when the calendar always wins 
• why modeling matters more than winning an argument about priorities 
• the authenticity test kids apply when our words and actions conflict 
• checking your motives so your kids do not live under hidden pressure 
• choosing a Christian testimony over competitiveness and convenience 
• asking better questions than “How was your day?” to learn if they are okay 
Come find us, come talk to us, because we love to give you resources and avenues to grow in Christ. 

We shout out to Fred Purdue and the legacy of welcoming people with a faithful smile and handshake that sets the tone for our church family. Then we spotlight our upcoming series in Revelation 2 and 3 and talk about why Jesus’ messages to the seven churches still shape how we live, love, and endure. 

• Why small acts of welcome matter for discipleship and community 
• What the seven churches in Revelation represent and why “seven” signals completeness 
• Two wrong ways to read Revelation: avoiding it or obsessing over speculation 
• Jesus among the lampstands as the light of the church 
• The call to hold sound doctrine while keeping real love 
• Staying faithful through persecution, pressure, and confusion in the last days 
• Why you cannot separate Jesus from His church 
• “Conquering” as learning to break free by listening to God 

We catch up after a packed summer and celebrate the volunteers who quietly make ministry happen week after week. We talk through wins from VBS, camp, and Sunday school growth, then turn our attention to how we welcome new people and love each other well as fall ramps up. 
• member and volunteer shout-outs that highlight behind-the-scenes faithfulness 
• children’s ministry summer wins through kids camp, VBS, and volunteers stepping up 
• youth ministry culture change and a growing hunger for discipleship 
• camp fruit that lasts past the emotional high and turns into discipling others 
• worship and tech ministry rhythms after moving into a new building 
• Celebrating Sunday school milestones and what they signal for fall 
• making room for newcomers through Next Steps and intentional relationships 

• Member shout-out for Pat Beavers and her leadership in women’s ministry 
• Jake’s goal is to teach Landry to drive a standard transmission 
• A push to create intentional family memories and time together 
• Maverick’s goal to enter a season of spiritual rest after False Creek 
• A practical commitment to less screen time and more real conversation 
• Why planning matters and how Proverbs 21:5 shapes goal setting 
• A summer focus on spiritual disciplines and spiritual formation through Sunday sermons 
• A measurable goal to increase community group and Bible study engagement 
• A call to pray for church leadership as new ministries are planned for the fall 
• A reminder to find grace in the mundane and grow day by day