GraceWay D.C.

King Nebuchadnezzar has had a dream. No astrologer, sorcerer, magician, or Chaldean can describe the dream, much less interpret it. In a rage, he has sent Arioch to assassinate Daniel and his three friends.For three years, Daniel has purposed and practiced his faith privately and publicly. Now on this darkest night, 18 year old Daniel boldly requests time, for, "there is a God in heaven who revealeth secrets."The revelation is not only a miracle of salvation for Daniel and his friends, it is also a promise of blessed hope for every believer throughout the ages. It clearly shows that, though we strive to find a more perfect union, true peace will never be realized until the Prince of Peace arrives on the world stage.

Happy Independence, America!Our national anthem is unique in that its first verse ends with a question: "Does the flag 'yet wave' over America?"The original poem, written by Francis Scott Key on September 14, 1814 from the perspective of a hostage aboard an enemy ship, has four stanzas. The first asks if the flag is still waving. The 2nd answers that it is because of sacrifice. The 3rd stanza celebrates victory over the enemy.And finally, the 4th stanza is where we get the title of our message today. It is often wrongly sung "for our cause it is just." But Key wrote "when our cause it is just." Then, a point many miss, he concludes that our cause is only just when "this be our motto 'In God is our trust.'"

Three years have passed since Daniel entered Babylon University. He has recently graduated summa cum laude with a ten-point lead. Aramaic flows off his tongue. His mind is saturated with the learning of the Chaldeans.Yet his trust lies beyond the stars--straight to the Creator of the universe. Since identifying his purpose in God and openly obeying Him, he has been blessed and protected.Then the king has a dream. Daniel's teachers have no answers and the king's henchman is coming for his head. A loud knock and Daniel stands between life and death. He has one question, "Why is the king in such a hurry?"He knew God had a plan--and it is the plan of the ages.

Psalm 128 is a message to fathers - especially fathers who want to actually be happy on Father's Day. I've been so blessed in studying it this week. I hope I can give you a glimpse of the richness of this word written specifically to dads. Let me quickly add: there's only one perfect Father. Whatever you are struggling with from your own experiences, He is able to heal and restore.

Last week we left Daniel standing at the magnificent blue gate of Babylon, torn from his home and cultural support.Yet, deep inside, he knew he was still royalty, specifically chosen and exceptionally gifted. Babylon could try to change him, but his purpose was greater than any society or government.The next scene opens with him seated in a grand banquet hall. Others around him have heaped their plates with strange new food. Their goblets were being filled and refilled with intoxicating wine, the effects of which were immediate and shameful to his honorable heritage.This was not what God wanted, Daniel was sure of it. But what could he do? He swallowed hard and humbly approached the official in charge . . .

His head shaved, wearing strange attire, Daniel stands at the magnificent blue gate on the north entrance to the most powerful nation on earth. Torn from his family and homeland, never to return, every sight and sound was a reminder of a brand new existence.He caught a glimpse of his reflection in the highly polished brass before him. He didn't look Jewish. And as of today, he wasn't even supposed to be Daniel anymore.He knew he was living the prophecy of Isaiah. He knew God had allowed it all to happen. Yet, Babylon's control seemed nearly complete at times.But there was one thing he would never give to Babylon . . .

Daniel, an exiled prince in the capital of his world, purposed in his heart to not defile himself. What a guy! Purposed. Pure. Prayerful. He even became a Prophet. We've all heard the stories. He's our hero, no doubt about it.But how did he do it? As he walked out of Jerusalem in chains, emaciated, broken-hearted, emotionally ravished by the brutality he had witnessed, how did manage to honor the God who had allowed all of it to happen?The answer is in the opening words of his book. I am excited to show it to you as we begin our series: BOLD IN BABYLON.

Memory fog is on the rise. Whether we blame it on divided attention, increased stress, or insufficient sleep, it seems we can't remember all that is required of us in this fast-paced lifestyle of ours.Frustrating as it is to forget names and details, it is more alarming to watch our nation forget its heroes. It will have devastating effects on our future.Oh, but ever so much more terrifying is when a nation forgets its God. Its fate is eternal damnation.Today, I want to not only bring clarity to our minds, but also healing to our hearts as we choose to remember.

Two hundred and fifty years ago, the Continental Congress declared May 17, 1776, a day of fasting and prayer. The delegates were strongly convinced that without the aid of Almighty God the imminent war with Britain would end in disaster. They urged the colonies to humbly repent of their sins and seek God's assistance in their struggle for independence.Today, May 17, 2026, Congress is gathering on the National Mall to rededicate our nation. Thousands across our land are praying and seeking healing for our land.The oft-quoted passage, "If My people which are called by My name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways..." was God's answer to Solomon's prayer of dedication of the Temple. Some 400 years later, one devout man invoked this promise and poured out his heart in prayer for his people.I know of no better example of how to pray for a nation.

Happy Mother's Day from GraceWay! In a day that celebrates vanity — the superficial, the fake, the things that are here today and gone tomorrow — Proverbs 31 calls us to honor something deeper: virtue. Today we'll look at five glimpses of the virtuous woman's hands — hands that build a home, not pluck it down.

As we welcome our college students home for summer, we wish them great success in their summer internships. With this in mind, I went searching for the word "success" in the Bible. Did you know it is only found once? One thing is very evident: if we will follow God's recipe for success, we can be absolutely confident we will never fail. Let me spell it out for you.

When Jesus said, "Lazarus, come forth!" he came out of the cave bound hand and foot. Only Jesus could give him new life, but then Jesus turned to the disciples and said, "Loose him and let him go." We finished up last week with Lazarus witnessing, fellowshipping, and suffering with the Lord. He had been set free to live in victory.Maybe you are feeling the bondage of some grave-clothes in your life. I'm a disciple of Jesus. Would you allow me to help you get free? It begins with knowing you are meant to live in victory.

As new life springs up all around us, we are reminded of the power and faithfulness of our Creator. It seems as if God is showing off His creativity, as well as His joy in delighting us with it!We will linger a little longer on the resurrection this week. On Easter Sunday, we heard the Message of the Stone - its witness, its weight, and its wonder. Last week, we saw the power of the resurrection to "Arise." Today, we take a step further and leave the tomb and all it represents.

Did you know celebrating the Resurrection once a year is not a biblical command?In fact, since the resurrection of Jesus is the core belief of every born again believer, it would do us well to not only celebrate it every Sunday, but also to realize its power every day of the week.In this power we may boldly proclaim, "We are risen! We are risen indeed!"

As the women rushed to the Garden Tomb, a heavy question hung between them, "Who shall roll us away the stone?" The law had sealed the stone. The religious crowd had made sure no one could ever escape the wages of their sin. Still, they hoped to see Jesus. It would give them some melancholy assurance just to see HIs body once again.But as they approach, a light beyond the brightness of the noonday sun is shining atop the great stone. "He is not here." Their greatest fear seems to be a reality! Then the angel continues, "He is risen. Come, see the place where the Lord lay." Death had been destroyed. The Law had been fulfilled. Eternal life was open to all who would believe. He is risen indeed!

Blessed is He Who Comes in the Name of the Lord!Today we rush to the Eastern Gate of Jerusalem. We join a throng gathering to herald the arrival of the great prophet and healer Jesus. "Here He comes!" shouts a young lad near us. The crowd is cheering and throwing their coats on the ground to make a pathway of honor. Others have stripped trees off their branches and begun waving them broadly. I do the same."Hosanna!" We chant louder and louder as He nears. "Glory to God in the highest!""That's too far," a religious leader calls sternly above the din. "Jesus, rebuke your followers!"Jesus calls back, 'If they stop, the stones will immediately cry out!"Why? Because THIS IS THE DAY. The day lambs were being brought into Jerusalem for Passover. The very day the prophets foretold. The day we make our choice. Will you receive or reject King Jesus?

God is calling us or as our text says, beseeching us. That word means to beg or pray. His call is urgent. What He is asking us to do will be best for us. We will find our field of service and fulfill the purpose for which we were created. If you are hearing your Creator's voice to repent and believe for salvation, I too beg you to heed it. If you will answer His call, you will find all things become new.

For more than 30 years, Bob and Becky Mach have been spreading the gospel in Ivory Coast. We are honored to introduce this veteran missionary to you. We pray your heart will be moved and your vision opened to what God has done and will do around the world.We are all called. It is just a matter of to whom and where. Let God to speak HIs will into your heart this week For, God so loved the world, that He gave . . .

For eight weeks we have followed Moses as he experienced God's way of grace in a whole new light. We ended last week with Moses' request, "Show me Thy glory." And God says, "In My time, in My way, yes. I will." For 40 days and 40 nights Moses basks in the glory of God. He doesn't eat or drink. God was enough. If we ever catch a glimpse of God's glory, we will find He is enough. And we will be forever changed.

Welcome to GraceWay! Whether you are a regular attender, or this is your first time, my prayer is that you will know more about God before you leave. One thing is certain, He calls us to "draw nigh" and seek His face.In our message today, Moses does just that. It looks as if the brand new nation of Israel is a complete failure before it even received its proper constitution-the Ten Commandments. But, Moses would not give up. He stood in the gap for his people. Dare he beg a blessing from God?Dare any of us?

Have you ever prayed for revival? I have. I have been a part of "revival meetings" and even seen God move greatly in the midst of a church service. But, there is another, deeper work of revival that is illustrated in our text today. I have never seen it, but it has been witnessed in our nation several times, beginning with the Great Awakening in 1734. Is it possible God would revive us again?

In the last message of this series we spoke about the Law of Leadership. Moses had been on Mt. Sinai with God for 40 days. He returned to find his people worshipping a golden calf. He throws down the Ten Commandments and demands a confession and a consecration. As the sun sets, 3,000 people die.Now, it's the next day. A new sort of leadership arises. It is that of Love.

Today I would like to introduce my friend Ret. Gen. John Teichert. The year we moved to DC to start GraceWay, I met John. Though from different walks of life, we were instantly unified on our desire to see God revive our beloved country.John is preaching a message entitled, "It's Not About You (Or Me)." Today, we come face to face with what God has called us to do. While God loves us, it's not about us! The truth that God has called to occupy comes with specific instructions. Don't miss them!

His mercies are new every morning. Great is the faithfulness of our God! Thank you for being here to worship Him with us today.Our church is named "GraceWay" for a reason. As we have studied the story surrounding our theme verse in Exodus 33:13, we have seen the Dilemma of Delay and the Partnership of Prayer.Today, we come face to face with the Law of Leadership. Sound familiar? Well...it's not exactly a sermon on how to enhance your career. It has a much more eternal focus.

In this message from Exodus 32:7–14, Pastor Brad Wells teaches on “The Partnership of Prayer” as part of The Grace Way. From Moses’ intercession, he shows that real prayer is an effectual conversation with God that makes a difference by reestablishing God’s control, reaffirming God’s character, and remembering God’s covenant.

As we begin our message this morning, we find the new nation of Israel waiting on their leader to return from his meeting with God. He's been gone for over a month. Whose to say he hasn't died up there on the mountain? Or, maybe he just wanted to show off how well he knew God and leave them in the dark. Little did they know it was an important test of their faith.Would we pass the test? How do we respond to the dilemma of delay?

Congratulations, GraceWay!Eleven years ago on this very day, our church met for the first time. Friends and family came to support the first service, but only six people came from our community. Four of them returned the next service. From this tiny group, God has grown us to what we see today. What a miracle of HIs amazing grace!My family and I would like to take this moment to say "Thank You" to each of you. Your faithfulness and sacrifice over these many years overwhelms us! May God grant us many more years together on HIS GRACEWAY.

Our theme for 2026 is OCCUPY TILL I COME. What does it mean? How can we fulfill it? This is the subject of today's message from Luke 19. May the Lord challenge GraceWay Baptist Church of Capitol Hill to fulfill His call and seek His power.GraceWay has been called to occupy the Eastern Market neighborhood in Washington, DC for Christ. For more information you can visit our website GraceWayDC.com or visit us in person at 228 Seventh St SE Washington, DC 20003.

"Don't worry. They will come." Frank said as we packed up after our 2nd Sunday. The 1st Sunday 60 had come, mostly from out of town. But that day we had 13, including our family.Through the past 11 years, Frank has cheered us on, God had used Hill Center to grow, test, and prepare us. We will ever be grateful!But, FINALLY, my brothers and sisters, the time has come to MOVE. We haven't reached the finish line. We've just been warming up for the starting pistol!

This Christmas season has been different for our church as we press toward closing on our new property. Yet, the true meaning of Christmas has pressed upon me perhaps more than ever before. God became flesh.If that isn't true. religion is futile and we are fools. But if it is true, we are wise to pursue Him, no matter how difficult the journey. We are wise to present Him with our treasures, no matter how costly the sacrifice.

At sundown this evening, the "Festival of Lights" known as Hanukkah will begin. It celebrates a miracle which took place some 160 years before Christ was born. After brave Jews took back their Temple from the Seleucids, the Menorah burned for eight days on the oil meant for one day.We too celebrate the Light of the World who has come to bring Life to everyone of us.

Merry Christmas, GraceWay! 'Tis the season to be jolly...and busy...and frazzled and...well, you've met them (or maybe have been a Grinch yourself at times!).This is why I decided we must begin December with a throwback to Thanksgiving. If you want to have a truly merry Christmas, you must cultivate an "attitude of gratitude." Anyone can be grumbly hateful; but, because of the hope of our Messiah, Christians should always be humbly grateful. God is good! Why don't you say that to your neighbor right now?

Happy Thanks-Living from GraceWay Baptist Church! This message is from Psalm 100 and focuses on sacrifice and an attitude of gratitude. Why is it important to live with an attitude of gratitude? What happens when thanksgiving becomes a season rather than a way of living? Let’s join Pastor Brad as he opens the Word.

Happy Thanksgiving, GraceWay! God has brought us through another year of blessings. It has been such a privilege to take this journey together.As we step into a new phase as a church, we will need to "be strong" in the grace that is in Christ Jesus." Paul reminded Timothy that Christianity is not passive. In fact, he used a soldier preparing for war, an athlete training for victory, and a farmer laboring for a harvest to get his point across. Today, let's focus on the race that is set before us.

Authentic Christianity calls us to more than just belief; it also calls us to labor. Scripture reminds us that, like a farmer, we must plant ourselves, persevere in the work, and patiently await the harvest God provides. Let us commit ourselves to be faithful farmers, committed to the work of the Lord of the harvest.

Thank you, Veterans! We are forever grateful for your sacrifice and service to secure our freedoms.This day reminds us all Christians reminds us all Christians are called to be good soldiers. We are given armor, warned of enemies, and promised rewards for faithfulness.Too many are disarming for peace at any cost. Let us not be weary in well doing; and having done all our King requires, stand!

My wife and I just returned from six days in Israel. The people speak of both breathing a sigh of relief that the conflict is over, and holding their breathe that tensions do not reignite.Peace is evasive. So it will always be until the Prince of Peace reigns in Jerusalem! In the meantime, the kingdom of God is within us. May He rule in our hearts today.

Ret. Gen. John Teichert knows how to lead because he learned how to follow. But, the real question is captured in the title of his message today, "Who Are You Following?"Many of us spend our lives looking back to see who's following us. It is not only difficult to walk while looking backwards, it's dangerous to the point of fatal!God has something specific for us today. Let's listen with an open heart and an open Bible.

Psalm 22 describes the Good Shepherd who gives His life for the sheep. What cleansing!Psalm 23 presents the Great Shepherd who gives His life to the sheep. What care!Today we will answer the repeated question of Psalm 24, "Who is this King of glory?"He is the Chief Shepherd who will return soon to live eternally with the sheep. What a Conqueror!May I urge you to trust in God for now and eternity? For He alone is worthy!

In Psalms 22, the Good Shepherd gives His life for the sheep. In more the thirty-three places, we clearly see Jesus fulfilled its Messianic prophecies in providing our eternal salvation.Today we move to what many acclaim is the most beautiful piece of literature ever written, Psalms 23. It presents the Great Shepherd as giving His life to the sheep.Sheep are helpless creatures! They are a perfect metaphor for us, wandering and defenseless without our Great Shepherd. Thank God, He is all we need.

Our theme for 2025 takes our national motto and makes it our personal declaration: In God I Trust. The psalmist declares, "Unto Thee, O Lord, do I lift up my soul. O, my God, I trust in Thee." Yet, why should we offer our mind, our will, and all we desire to one whom we've never seen? David could do this because he had laid the foundation of his faith upon the Messiah. Specifically, in Psalm 22, he saw the coming Messiah who would give His life as a sacrifice for all of our sin.

Have you heard? God gave us some direction this past Friday. We were walking on, with no further light on our path, when the call came: OUR BID HAD BEEN ACCEPTED! It felt like a flash of lightening across our way.What do we do first? What if we don't move fast enough? What if we do something wrong?Then I opened the Bible to Isaiah 50. A calming warning came to remind me: even those who obey God will experience times when they can't see the way ahead. This is when we must declare, without hesitation, "In God I still trust."

The woven vine bridge swung above the jungle mountain river 20' below. With space for only one foot at a time, the key was to hang on and step confidently forward.The Psalms of King David are full of instructions on how to walk this journey we call life. Many times he cried out for help to steady his step, but he always kept boldly putting one foot in front of the other.It is through much tribulation that we will enter the kingdom of God. But let's step forward without a single doubt that God will deliver us to the other side!

In a moment, one single shot changed everything. It has been called a "watershed moment." I looked up that idiom. It means "a significant turning point." This is what Charlie Kirk prayed for, preached for, and ultimately died for.GraceWay, may God turn our hearts back to His Word and Way! Apostle Peter said the time will come when "judgment must begin at the house of God." That time is now. Let us search and try our ways, and turn again to the Lord.

For nearly six months we have been studying our way through the rich book of Leviticus. We have noted Moses began outside of the tabernacle. For twenty-five chapters, God has meticulously described how to get into His presence. In a word: HOLINESS.Here we are at the end and God closes by giving an ultimatum: disobey His Word and face disaster, or dedicate everything to Him and be guaranteed success.Well, what are we waiting for? Let the dedication begin!

What if every 50 years all debts were canceled and people were restored to the place of their birth? Sounds like an answer to a lot of problems...or does it? Just think of the implications for our economy!Though it was commanded, like a lot of things God said, His people seemed to ignore it.So what was the purpose of the Year of Jubilee? We'll never discover it all, but the Bible gives us some wonderful glimpses into its meaning for you and me.

The Seven Feasts of the LORD are a glimpse into the character and calendar of our Almighty, Eternal God. Four of the Feasts have already been fulfilled in the Person and Work of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. The next to be fulfilled is the Feast of Trumpets - picturing the rapture of the Bride of Christ, the Church. It falls on September 23 this year. Could this be the year? We can always hope!

The Law has been given, the Tabernacle built, the sacrifices instituted, the purification of the priests performed, and the sanctification of the people begun.Now, there's one last area of life to cover: holy days. God wanted His people to remember and celebrate all He had done -- and would do -- for them. He called these special days the "Feasts of the Lord" and they are a roadmap of His prophetic plan to save, sanctify, and stay with His people forever.

General John Teichert reminds us we are called to live “behind enemy lines” with a mission from God, just as Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego did in Babylon. Their oversized impact came from three traits: an excellent spirit, trusting obedience, and a pursuit of excellence—traits we must embrace to represent Christ well in our own Babylon today.

We are back to the study of Leviticus. We've seen the five offerings, proper worship, ritual purity, the Day of Atonement, and God's view of morality.Today we turn to the high calling of priesthood. It was exclusively based on birth in the Old Testament. And it still is: the new birth!Also, just as priests had different jobs, so it is in the priesthood of believers. The qualification in the New Testament is consecration to God.