Recent News | Word of Grace Church, Pune

Colin preached this message at Word of Grace on Jan 4th 2025.

When you open the Bible, most of us instinctively gravitate toward familiar and comforting portions—Psalms, the Gospels, Paul’s letters, or books like Isaiah and John. Very few of us would admit that genealogies are our favorite reading. Long lists of names can feel dry, repetitive, and easy to skip.

Yet, hidden within one such genealogy in 1 Chronicles 4, we discover a powerful and life-changing story—the story of Jabez.

A Name That Spoke Pain, A Life That Spoke Faith

The genealogy flows uninterrupted until verses 9 and 10, where everything pauses for one man:

“Jabez was more honourable than his brothers…”

His name, Jabez, literally means “pain.” His mother named him this because his birth was marked by suffering. Imagine carrying that label for your entire life—being constantly reminded of pain, limitation, and difficulty.

But Jabez refused to let his name define his destiny.

Word of Grace⁠⁠ is an Evangelical (Born Again),  Spirit-filled (Charismatic), Reformed, English-speaking church in Pune that upholds the Bible as God’s inspired Word for life. We are a church community with people from every part of India and the world. We are here to put the Great Command and the Great Commission into practice by equipping and releasing every member into works of service.  Word of Grace is part of a wider international family of Churches called ⁠⁠RegionsBeyond⁠⁠.

This is an edited version. Navaz led this worship. Be blessed as you listen to this, and do write a comment on how the worship has blessed you.

SETLIST

You are good

Great are you, Lord
Holy Forever – chorus

Worthy is your name – chorus

Holy Holy holy are you Lord – chorus

Tumsa

Jesus Christ- once again.

** Homegrown songs

Download Audio

Word of Grace is an Evangelical (Born Again),  Spirit-filled (Charismatic), Reformed, English-speaking church in Pune that upholds the Bible as God’s inspired Word for life. We are a church community that has people from every part of India and parts of the world. We are here to put the Great Command and the Great Commission into practice by equipping and releasing every member into works of service.  Word of Grace is part of a wider international family of Churches called RegionsBeyond.

This message was preached by  Navaz at Word of Grace on Dec 14th, 2025.

Messianic Prophecies: Discovering Jesus in the Old Testament

As we step into the season of Advent, the historic Christian rhythm invites us into four weeks of anticipation—four weeks of preparing our hearts to remember the birth of Christ and to look ahead to His promised return. Advent literally means “arrival,” and for centuries, believers have used this period to rekindle their awe for the greatest gift ever given: Jesus Christ.

Yet the story of Jesus does not begin in Bethlehem. It starts long before shepherds saw angels or wise men followed a star. The Old Testament—often viewed as ancient history, laws, and rituals—is in fact filled with signs, shadows, and promises pointing directly to Christ. These are known as Messianic prophecies, and they reveal that Christmas is not merely a New Testament event—it is a story God has been telling from the very beginning.

Let’s get into our text for today

Introduction

Isaiah 61 stands as one of the most hope-filled and powerful passages in Scripture. Written against the dark backdrop of exile, oppression, and spiritual decline, it points forward to a Redeemer who would bring healing, freedom, and restoration. This chapter ultimately finds its fulfilment in Jesus Christ, who boldly declares in Luke 4 that this ancient prophecy is realized in Him.

At its heart, Isaiah 61 carries a sweeping message: Judgment gives way to hope, hope leads to redemption, redemption results in restoration, and restoration ushers in new creation.

Background to the Book of Isaiah

The book of Isaiah spans nearly 100 years of Israel’s history. Scholars generally agree on one of two views: either Isaiah wrote the first part of the book while his disciples completed the latter sections, or Isaiah himself authored the entire work but entrusted portions of it to his students for preservation.

Isaiah ministered during the reigns of Kings Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah in the southern kingdom of Judah, while Assyria conquered the northern kingdom of Israel.

Word of Grace⁠⁠ is an Evangelical (Born Again),  Spirit-filled (Charismatic), Reformed, English-speaking church in Pune that upholds the Bible as God’s inspired Word for life. We are a church community with people from every part of India and the world. We are here to put the Great Command and the Great Commission into practice by equipping and releasing every member into works of service.  Word of Grace is part of a wider international family of Churches called ⁠⁠RegionsBeyond⁠⁠.

This message was preached by  Colin at Word of Grace on Nov 30th, 2025.

Messianic Prophecies: Discovering Jesus in the Old Testament

As we step into the season of Advent, the historic Christian rhythm invites us into four weeks of anticipation—four weeks of preparing our hearts to remember the birth of Christ and to look ahead to His promised return. Advent literally means “arrival,” and for centuries, believers have used this period to rekindle their awe for the greatest gift ever given: Jesus Christ.

Yet the story of Jesus does not begin in Bethlehem. It starts long before shepherds saw angels or wise men followed a star. The Old Testament—often viewed as ancient history, laws, and rituals—is in fact filled with signs, shadows, and promises pointing directly to Christ. These are known as Messianic prophecies, and they reveal that Christmas is not merely a New Testament event—it is a story God has been telling from the very beginning.

Let’s get into our text for today

https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/jb4q71mb9od1du33icebl/Nov-30-2025-Colin-Messianic-Prophecies.mp3?rlkey=sg45n3g0jee49cvgf7jeub649&st=k5g5q4pz&dl=0

Word of Grace⁠⁠ is an Evangelical (Born Again),  Spirit-filled (Charismatic), Reformed, English-speaking church in Pune that upholds the Bible as God’s inspired Word for life. We are a church community with people from every part of India and the world. We are here to put the Great Command and the Great Commission into practice by equipping and releasing every member into works of service.  Word of Grace is part of a wider international family of Churches called ⁠⁠RegionsBeyond⁠⁠.

This message was preached by  Navaz at Word of Grace on Nov 23rd, 2025. This is the concluding part in this series.

James 5:13-20

The Book of James, at first glance, seems like a random collection of wisdom nuggets. As we mentioned at the start of this series, James is perhaps the first book to be written. It was written around 49-51 AD. By this time, an error is already creeping into the churches; hence, the apostles see the need to write these letters addressing various issues in the churches in different parts of the world where the gospel had spread. They realised the need to set the course straight and call people’s attention to the plumb line, or else they were in danger of building churches on a wonky foundation that would not last.

James is addressing a few. If one were to summarise the book, he was addressing the disconnect between words and the profession of faith – waywardness was creeping into the church, and he was addressing various contexts in which it was appearing. He was also addressing the real-life challenges of persecution and trials.

Let’s get into our text for today

Word of Grace⁠⁠ is an Evangelical (Born Again),  Spirit-filled (Charismatic), Reformed, English-speaking church in Pune that upholds the Bible as God’s inspired Word for life. We are a church community with people from every part of India and the world. We are here to put the Great Command and the Great Commission into practice by equipping and releasing every member into works of service.  Word of Grace is part of a wider international family of Churches called ⁠⁠RegionsBeyond⁠⁠.

This message was preached by Lasya at Word of Grace on Nov 16th, 2025.

War and Peace 

How many of you left your hometown at one point or another? How do you feel when you move to a new city/country? Like you don’t belong, so you need to prove yourself, like you finally get to do what you want?

James is writing to the dispersed believers across the known world. They are dealing with persecution, but also opportunity. They are immersed in the gentile way of life and the ethos of the world seems to be getting into them a bit. He’s hearing a lot of words but not enough action, a lot of thoughts but not enough wisdom and a lot of plans but not God’s purpose. Do we see any of this in our own situation today?

Word of Grace⁠⁠ is an Evangelical (Born Again),  Spirit-filled (Charismatic), Reformed, English-speaking church in Pune that upholds the Bible as God’s inspired Word for life. We are a church community with people from every part of India and the world. We are here to put the Great Command and the Great Commission into practice by equipping and releasing every member into works of service.  Word of Grace is part of a wider international family of Churches called ⁠⁠RegionsBeyond⁠⁠.

This message was preached by Colin at Word of Grace on Nov 9th, 2025.

The Power of the Tongue: A Call to Spiritual Maturity

Reflections from James 3

The book of James is known for its practical wisdom—truths that don’t just shape what we believe, but how we live. In recent weeks, James 1 and 2 reminded us how God uses suffering to mature us, and how genuine faith expresses itself through works.
This message from James chapter 3 turns our attention to something surprisingly small, yet incredibly powerful: the tongue.

Why Our Words Matter

Scripture places extraordinary weight on speech. From the opening pages of the Bible, God creates with words—“Let there be light.” Words also played a role in the fall, through the serpent’s deceptive conversation with Eve. And salvation itself is tied to confession: “If you confess with your mouth…you will be saved.”

Word of Grace⁠⁠ is an Evangelical (Born Again),  Spirit-filled (Charismatic), Reformed, English-speaking church in Pune that upholds the Bible as God’s inspired Word for life. We are a church community with people from every part of India and the world. We are here to put the Great Command and the Great Commission into practice by equipping and releasing every member into works of service.  Word of Grace is part of a wider international family of Churches called ⁠⁠RegionsBeyond⁠⁠.

TEXT: James 1:1-8

Lasya preached this sermon on Nov 2nd 2025, at Word of Grace Church.

In many ways, the book of James echoes the teaching of Jesus. At least fifteen times, James alludes to the Sermon on the Mount in James. This book is not addressed to any particular church but is a wisdom book that echoes the Sermon on the Mount and Proverbs. The book of James is about how the word can be made flesh in our lives.

In all our preaching, our goal is to instruct your mind so that your heart is challenged and your life is changed.

Faith – Dead or Alive

We are in the book of James, and the only way to approach this book is with humility. Many have approached it with intellectual curiosity, skepticism and even disdain and failed to see the value of this book. Martin Luther, the father of the protestant reformation, himself called this book an “epistle of straw” meaning, doesn’t hold much weight, because of this passage which we will examine today. 

Have you ever looked at someone and said to yourself, “How do they even call themselves a Christian?” Usually, this question is not sparked by something they believe but something they did. Today, let’s turn that question back on ourselves. Let’s use this scripture, not to point fingers but to look into it like a mirror – resolving not just to hear but to be doers of the word of God. 

Word of Grace⁠⁠ is an Evangelical (Born Again),  Spirit-filled (Charismatic), Reformed, English-speaking church in Pune that upholds the Bible as God’s inspired Word for life. We are a church community with people from every part of India and the world. We are here to put the Great Command and the Great Commission into practice by equipping and releasing every member into works of service.  Word of Grace is part of a wider international family of Churches called ⁠⁠RegionsBeyond⁠⁠.

TEXT: James 1:1-8

Navaz preached this sermon on Oct  27th 2025, at Word of Grace Church.

In many ways, the book of James echoes the teaching of Jesus. At least fifteen times, James alludes to the Sermon on the Mount in James. This book is not addressed to any particular church but is a wisdom book that echoes the Sermon on the Mount and Proverbs. The book of James is about how the word can be made flesh in our lives.

In all our preaching, our goal is to instruct your mind so that your heart is challenged and your life is changed.

James has around 9 main themes around which he writes. Today I am going to pick up on the theme of trials and suffering.

Word of Grace⁠⁠ is an Evangelical (Born Again),  Spirit-filled (Charismatic), Reformed, English-speaking church in Pune that upholds the Bible as God’s inspired Word for life. We are a church community with people from every part of India and the world. We are here to put the Great Command and the Great Commission into practice by equipping and releasing every member into works of service.  Word of Grace is part of a wider international family of Churches called ⁠⁠RegionsBeyond⁠⁠.

Lasya preached this sermon on Oct 12th 2025  at Word of Grace Church.

Maturing on the Move: From Shallow Faith to Deep Roots

A Journalist goes to this famous hospital and asks – are there any big men who were born here? And the nurse answers, no sir, only babies are born here.

We all come into the kingdom born again as babies, regardless of age. And just as in the natural, we go through the stages of growth –

Infants: 1 Peter 2:2 “Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation”

Children: Eph 4:14 “so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and from by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes”

Young men and women 1 John 2: 14 “I write to you, young men, because you are strong, and the word of God lives in you, and you have overcome the evil one.”

Mature manhood / womanhood – Hebrews 5:13 “But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil.” Maturity is the ability to prioritize values over impulses.” Stephen Covey.

 (continue to read in the Blog)

Word of Grace⁠⁠ is an Evangelical (Born Again),  Spirit-filled (Charismatic), Reformed, English-speaking church in Pune that upholds the Bible as God’s inspired Word for life. We are a church community with people from every part of India and the world. We are here to put the Great Command and the Great Commission into practice by equipping and releasing every member into works of service.  Word of Grace is part of a wider international family of Churches called ⁠⁠RegionsBeyond⁠⁠.