Lately, I’ve been thinking a lot about family, not just the people I grew up with, but the bigger picture. You know, the ones we don’t see around the Thanksgiving table. In Scripture, family isn’t limited to just parents and siblings. It stretches across generations, including people we’ve never met whose stories and choices helped shape our lives. That means our lives are tied to a much wider circle than we usually realize. And whether we like it or not, that connection runs deep.

Sometimes that’s hard to accept. We didn’t choose our family or what happened long before we were born. But the truth is, our families leave a mark. Some of us carry the gift of faith, resilience, and love passed down through generations. Others carry wounds, things like addiction, broken trust, or instability that quietly echo from the past. Even when we try to leave it all behind, the patterns tend to follow. It’s not about blame; it’s just how life works. The Bible doesn’t argue whether it’s nature or nurture—it just says this is how the physical world operates.

But here’s the good news: God doesn’t just talk about the brokenness being passed down. He promises that his love and mercy stretch even farther! While sin may echo for a few generations, God’s grace can pour out over thousands. That means your choices today matter not just for you, but for your kids, grandkids, and beyond. You’re not stuck. With God’s help, you can change the story. You can be the beginning of something new.

I’ve been thanking God lately for all the people he put in my life through the years whether it was a good or not so good experience. The Apostle Paul reminded us to thank God even for the difficulties in life. All of those connections work together to get us through and to God’s plan for our lives. So, how is it for you? Take a few moments this week to remember some of the people who’ve been in your life that you can thank God for, good or bad. It’s all being sewn together for a spiritual purpose. That’s just how good God is!

James

Rev. James Williams 
Senior Pastor, Grace Resurrection Methodist Church

Over the years, I’ve been blessed by the wisdom and direction of mentors. Their presence shaped my life, my calling, and even how I see myself. Now, I find myself on the other side of that relationship offering guidance to a few young pastors who are just starting their journey. It’s not easy, but it’s essential. Mentoring is deeply biblical, and it’s one of the most meaningful things we can do for each other.

The Bible offers some clear insight into how mentoring works. One of the first things to understand is this: a real mentor will require your pursuit. They don’t need what you know, you need what they know. Elijah didn’t chase Elisha. It was Elisha who saw what was in him and followed.

Mentors aren’t always warm and fuzzy. In fact, a mentor is usually more interested in your success than your affection. They’re not focused on celebrating you as much as they are committed to correcting and challenging you. And that’s exactly what makes them so valuable.

Here’s something that might surprise you: a mentor is not necessarily your best friend.

A best friend loves you just the way you are.
A mentor loves you too much to let you stay that way.
A best friend is okay with your weakness.
A mentor is focused on your future.
A best friend might ignore what’s wrong.
A mentor helps you overcome it.
A best friend cheers you on.
A mentor coaches you forward.
A best friend sees what you do right.
A mentor sees what needs to change.

Mentors have eyes to see what you can’t. They recognize weaknesses and blind spots before you do. They see the trap ahead before you fall into it. They’ve often already lived through the kind of pain you’re about to walk into, and they want to help you avoid it.

A true mentor will also stand up for you. They’ll fight to protect your purpose and defend your calling, even when you don’t know you’re under attack. Jesus did this with Peter. He told him, “Satan has asked to sift you like wheat, but I’ve prayed for you.” That’s the kind of spiritual covering a godly mentor offers.

And finally, mentors make you better. Jesus turned Peter, simple fisherman, into a powerful preacher. Mentorship can take your raw potential and turn it into something remarkable. Everything you’ll truly learn in life will come either through experience or through someone willing to walk with you and speak into your life.

So here’s my encouragement: invest in the people God places in your path. Make time for the mentors He’s chosen for you. And when the time comes, be that person for someone else. Mentorship won’t just shape your life or leadership. It will spare you from countless heartaches and help you become everything God created you to be.

James

Rev. James Williams 
Senior Pastor, Grace Resurrection Methodist Church

Family of Grace,

Have you ever thought about the difference between “fundraising” and “fundreceiving”? Rev. J.D. Walt of Seedbed recently reflected on this in a devotion, and it changed how I view generosity—especially in the church.

I was trained in what I now call, “flash and dash,” fundraising. And truth be told, I was pretty good at it. But over the past few years, I’ve been giving more thought to the role of money in the church. At times, I even questioned if I was any different from prosperity gospel peddlers.

Reading J.D.’s devotion convicted me to go deeper—not just to ask people to give, but to help build hearts that give not to get, but to offer in obedience. That’s what true generosity looks like. And in Exodus 25:1–9, this concept comes to life in a powerful way. Take a look: 

The Lord said to Moses, “Tell the Israelites to bring me an offering. You are to receive the offering for me from everyone whose heart prompts them to give.  These are the offerings you are to receive from them: gold, silver and bronze;  blue, purple and scarlet yarn and fine linen; goat hair;  ram skins dyed red and another type of durable leather; acacia wood;  olive oil for the light; spices for the anointing oil and for the fragrant incense;  and onyx stones and other gems to be mounted on the ephod and breastpiece. Then have them make a sanctuary for me, and I will dwell among them. Make this tabernacle and all its furnishings exactly like the pattern I will show you.”

What did you notice? No pressure, guilt or manipulation here. God doesn’t tell Moses to do a sales pitch or start a campaign. He simply says, “Receive the offering from anyone who wants to give.” That’s fundreceiving. It’s not about strategies, slogans or emotional appeals. It’s about creating a space where people’s hearts respond to God himself. It’s not a transaction; it’s a relationship. God invites his people into something deeply personal and that is building a place for his presence.

And that’s the key. The goal wasn’t just to collect materials. It was to make room for God to be with them. The offering wasn’t an obligation—it was a response to an invitation.

In church life, we often focus on the practical—budgets, buildings, salaries. And those things matter. But Exodus 25  reminds us that giving is ultimately spiritual. When we give with love, gratitude, and a desire to create space for God’s presence, it becomes an act of worship.

As leaders, pastors, or simply followers of Jesus, maybe our job isn’t to raise funds—but to raise vision. To help people see the bigger picture: that God desires to dwell among us.

Every offering, no matter how small, brings that vision to life. And when we trust God with that vision, something amazing happens—generosity begins to flow more freely, more joyfully, and more meaningfully than we imagined.

Not because we asked well.

But because we received well.

That’s the difference. And, that’s the beauty of receiving gifts from God.

So, what do you think?

James

Rev. James Williams 
Senior Pastor, Grace Resurrection Methodist Church

Family of Grace,

From my vantage point in the pulpit each week, I’ve noticed a quiet but hopeful shift in our congregation over the past eight months. More young faces are looking back at me. In small pockets of our sanctuary, elementary, middle, high school and college students are finding their place in worship.

Yes, we’re a church founded by a few seasoned individuals, but more and more I see youthful energy coming alive among all of us. Some of that energy is right at our AV Ministry, where Camden and Mitchell serve so faithfully as AV techs. Camden has been with us for almost two years. That’s why I wanted to sit down with him to talk about young people and church. Who better to have this conversation with than someone who has watched the same changes unfolding, just from the back of the room while I look from the front?

Camden shared his perspective on how culture is shifting the future of the church. Gone are the days when youth ministry was only about weekly events, catchy songs, and a short message at 7:00 p.m. Today’s youth are asking deeper questions—about mental health, social justice, and identity. They’re navigating a digital world where community forms and dissolves in seconds, and authenticity is everything. They’re longing for something real. They want spaces to wrestle, to doubt, and to discover, not just be told what to believe. They long to see it actually lived out. 

I shared stories from my own ministry—moments when one intentional conversation inspired a young person to step into leadership, or when a mission trip became more than a photo-op and turned into a life-changing experience. We talked about the tension between safety and risk: how easy it is to package youth ministry into neat, sanitized boxes, and how transformative it can be when we let young people live missionally, even when it gets messy.

One theme kept surfacing in our conversation: the balance between tradition and transformation. We agreed that the foundations of faith—Scripture, sacraments, prayer—still matter deeply, but they have to meet this moment. 

My biggest takeaway was how much human openness matters to this generation. Camden shared about his experiences with youth-led worship nights and how important it is for students to feel truly welcomed and accepted. Let me say that again, Grace Resurrection —when you see a young person in our church, welcome them. It’s not about programs or polish. It’s about inviting them, not into a show, but into the story—into the unfolding narrative of God’s work among us.

We closed by agreeing that building a youth program isn’t about dictating or entertaining. It’s about engaging, listening, empowering, and trusting. I believe the questions our young people are asking can deepen our own faith. Because at the end of the day, the future of the church might just be discovered in the courageous questions of a younger generation who just might see the world (and Jesus) with more clarity than those who came before.

I walked out of that recording believing wholeheartedly: something powerful is stirring—and we get to be part of it. As Jesus said, “Whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me.” (Matthew 18:5)

I hope you’ll take the time to listen to this episode with Camden. Here’s to the journey ahead, one conversation at a time.

James

Rev. James Williams 
Senior Pastor, Grace Resurrection Methodist Church

Family of Grace,

My heart is heavy as I write to you today. Many of you have already heard the tragic news out of Texas. Floodwaters have devastated communities, and among the lives lost are children who were attending summer camp. It’s hard to wrap our minds around such sorrow. There are no easy answers for this kind of grief.

As followers of Jesus, we believe in carrying one another’s burdens and standing in the gap through prayer when the weight of loss is too great to bear alone. This is one of those moments.

Let us join our hearts in praying for the families who are now facing unthinkable pain, for the churches and first responders walking alongside them, and for the many communities still reeling from the aftermath of these floods. May God’s comfort, which surpasses all understanding, surround them like a blanket. And may He bring peace where there is anguish, and hope where there is despair.

Natalie and I are taking time each day to pray together. I encourage you to stop what you’re doing at some point today, right in the middle of your busy life, and lift up these grieving families. Light a candle, take a walk, kneel by your bedside. However you choose to pray, just bring them before the Lord. He is the great comforter in times of confusion and despair. 

The world can feel dark sometimes. But this is exactly when the light of  Christ is most needed. Let’s be that light in our prayers, in our compassion, and in how we live out the love of God every day. 

If you’d like to help in a more tangible way, Samaritan’s Purse is giving direct assistance to families affected by destruction as well as those who have lost loved ones. You can click here to donate:

In hope and faith,
James

Rev. James Williams 
Senior Pastor, Grace Resurrection Methodist Church

Family of Grace,

It’s a fact of life that we grow attached to the places we’ve known for many years. We humans are settlers by nature, and it’s often hard to make a change. This past week, Natalie and I have been helping my mother-in-law prepare to move to Georgia. She’s lived in her house for over 60 years.

Her move has made me reflect on how, in an instant, life can change everything. We move through seasons—celebrations and tragedies, ups and downs, dark moments and bright lights. And if we have no faith, or only a little, everything rises and falls on circumstances. The world lends itself to living that way.

But I’ve found that if we stand on the rock of our Lord, if we lay all at the foot of the cross, nothing can ultimately defeat us, no matter what comes our way.

One of the largest funerals I ever officiated was for a 24-year-old soldier named James Hunter. James was young, energetic, and kind. Everyone loved him, and he couldn’t wait to return from his time in the Middle East to begin his career as a journalist.

Right before his military service ended, he was walking along a road in Afghanistan and was killed instantly by a roadside bomb. It was an incredibly hard and sorrowful funeral. We buried James with all the honors he deserved. Six weeks later, I accompanied his family to the Bluegrass Airport in Lexington to receive his leg, which had been recovered separately. We took it to the cemetery to bury it with his body.

These are the moments—circumstances that can so easily make us bitter and angry. In an instant, everything familiar can vanish. It feels like a blow to the nose, and life is never quite the same.

Yet there is something that never changes. God. The one thing—the only thing—in life that remains constant is God. Scripture tells us, “Heaven and earth will pass away,” but God’s Word never will.

It’s natural to hold on to what we know, to keep the familiar close and cherish it. Much of it is a blessing. But it’s inevitable that we will face difficulties, new circumstances, and change.

So I want to offer you this hope: God’s plans, His love, and His presence never go away. They are always within our spirits and our hearts. No circumstance can take them away.

Keep your focus not on the tangibles but on our Lord. When all seems lost, when all is going well, when something changes your life in an instant, remember that the unchanging love of God will always carry you through. If you can hold on to that, nothing can truly harm you. Nothing.

~James

Rev. James Williams 

Family of Grace,

Have you ever heard anyone say, “We can’t mix religion and politics?” If so, I can assure you the statement was made by a well-meaning person, but maybe also a bit naïve. As a pastor, I certainly believe we have to do that carefully, but we do, in fact, allow our religious beliefs to intersect and influence our ideas about politics. Christians should be able to do that in a way that glorifies our Lord.

I was not surprised America stood with Israel as an ally during these months of conflict, but I know we have mixed feelings about the bombing of Iranian nuclear sites this weekend, and as Christians, we absolutely should have mixed feelings. 

In recent years, when I would pray for the peace of Jerusalem from the pulpit, I received angry phone calls and emails. That’s not been the case at Grace Resurrection, but no doubt there are individuals in our congregation who question Israel’s and the U.S.’s actions. I absolutely understand that. Neither is a perfect nation with perfect leadership. It’s complex. But as a Christian leader, I try to help my congregations understand that this is not solely about power and politics. 

Never make the mistake of not understanding — this is a religious conflict. And yet, there are political aspects to what’s happening in the Middle East.

Some would believe the historical conflict between Israelis and Palestinians is a modern phenomenon stemming from the rise of Zionism and Arab nationalism in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. But at the base and root is a conflict that began with the Bar-Kochba revolt against the Romans (defeated 136 A.D.), which destroyed Judaea as an entity. The Romans set up a new province called Syria Palaestina, which is the origin of the name, and banned the Jews from entering Jerusalem. The book of Genesis also informs us as to the origins of this sad, sad conflict.

It’s an ancient fight, which will continue, I believe, until the return of Christ. 

My time in Kentucky heightened my interest in the Hatfield and McCoy feud. I’m a history buff, so I’ve read about everything written on that. It’s similar to today’s conflict — ego, revenge, and disrespect almost always keep humans apart. But what we see between these ancient enemies has deep implications for our beliefs about God’s clear message regarding the land He claimed as the land of His people. 

I don’t fully agree with how either government has attempted to hold on to it. But I do believe it’s our responsibility and duty to stand with our allies and especially protect the Holy Land in every way possible. 

I hate war. I hate seeing innocent people hurt and killed. I hate seeing my tax dollars spent for destruction. But I love Israel. I love Israel as a Christian first, and then as an American. I don’t fully understand why the conflict can’t be solved, but then again, I do. The message of the Messiah has not yet permeated the heart of the nation of Israel or Palestine, but I do believe God’s covering is upon His people, even in their rebellion. 

The same is true for the hearts of believers. Though we love the Lord, we don’t always align with Him. Yet He protects and loves those who do ultimately trust Him. I believe it’s the same for those across the ocean. 

So, follow scripture by praying for the peace of Jerusalem (Psalm 122:6), and do all in your power to bless Israel (Genesis 12:3). But also pray fervently for the innocents on every side. Make no mistake, this is a spiritual battle. It’s unfortunate, but a part of a much greater plan.

Keep the faith!

~James

Rev. James Williams 

Senior Pastor, Grace Resurrection Methodist Church

If you’ve never looked into your spiritual gifts, you’re missing something that could totally change the way you see your role in the church, and your everyday life. 

Spiritual gifts are special abilities the Holy Spirit gives every follower of Jesus. They’re not the same as your natural talents, though sometimes they overlap. These gifts are designed to help us serve others and point people to Jesus. That means they’re not just about what you’re good at, but how God wants to work through you. And yes, you have at least one. Actually, most people have a unique combination of several.

Here’s where it gets interesting. A lot of people either ignore their gifts or become obsessed with them. Some chase after dramatic signs and experiences, hoping for a big spiritual moment. But the goal is never the gift, it’s always Jesus. Spiritual gifts are not the finish line; they’re the starting blocks. They aren’t hobbies or personality types; they’re tools and weapons for building God’s Kingdom and standing strong in a world that desperately needs hope. As A. B. Simpson once wrote, “Once His gifts I wanted; Now the Giver own.” When you keep your eyes on Jesus, the gifts make sense. They bring clarity, not confusion. They build unity, not ego.

So, how do you discover your spiritual gifts? It usually starts with prayer and a desire to serve. Pay attention to the things that energize you when you’re helping others. Ask trusted friends what they see in you. Take time to reflect on the areas where you’ve seen God use you, even in small ways. And if you’ve never taken a spiritual gifts test, try it! It’s a really helpful tool to get started. It’s not the final answer, but it can point you in the right direction. 

Want to explore that today? There’s a solid, free spiritual gifts inventory online that only takes a few minutes: www.spiritualgiftstest.com. Take the step. You might just discover something God has been wanting to show you all along.

Once you’ve completed the inventory, I’d like to discuss it with you. Let me know at james@graceresurrection.com. 

~James

Rev. James Williams 

Senior Pastor, Grace Resurrection Methodist Church