Hey Church Family!
I’m still carrying one line from yesterday’s final message in Battle Ready: God gives us His full armor so we can stand firm in the life Jesus has given us. Not half the armor. Every piece.
If I’m honest, this series has opened my eyes to this passage in a new way. Studying and preaching it has spoken directly to my heart—not only about spiritual health, but emotional, physical, relational, and mental health too.
Looking back over the years, I can see seasons when I let the helmet slip off. When I wasn’t grounding my thoughts in the truth and hope of Jesus, anxiety, doubt, and confusion could take hold. This battle we're facing is real, and we need the protection and strength God provides. We aren’t called to leave ourselves vulnerable; we’re called to wear and use the armor He gives us.
This week, put on the helmet by remembering: the penalty is paid, sin’s power is broken, and your future is secure in Christ. And take up the sword—the Word of God. Surrender to its authority, depend on the Spirit, dig into Scripture, and share what Jesus has done.
At both Ringgold and GC3 locations, we want to stand in the armor of God on ground Jesus has already won, welcome the weary and the skeptic with love that tells the truth, and proclaim the Kingdom of our reason Savior.
GC3 Update
In a few weeks, we plan to soft launch Wednesday Night Church at Gc3!
We’ll begin with a special series on How to Study the Bible, similar in format to Scrolls to Scripture. These first Wednesday nights won’t be a full service that mirrors Sunday mornings—yet. They’ll give us an opportunity to grow together as we prepare for that next step.
This series will cover:
- Why Study the Bible?
- Observation: What Does It Actually Say?
- Context and Interpretation
- Application: Living It Out
- Building the Habit and Looking Ahead
We’ll also learn practical ways to annotate our Bibles through highlighting, underlining, circling, and taking notes during church services and personal devotion time. The goal is to help us understand Scripture, hold it close, and live it out.
This soft launch will help us prepare for our “Grand Opening” in January.
Grand Opening? Yup, you read that right!
It’s amazing to see how GC3 has grown over this past year, and we’re excited for what’s ahead. As we continue exploring Becoming One, we’re already seeing our shared mission expand to reach people on both sides of the mountain.
Our Grand Opening will be an opportunity to reintroduce GC3 to Frederick—to people who may have visited years ago and those who drive past our building every day. God is doing something new here, and we want to celebrate that while honoring the history and faithfulness that brought us to this point.
January will also mark the full launch of Wednesday Night Church, with a service that mirrors Sunday mornings. This creates another opportunity to connect with people who work weekends, college students looking for an evening service, and volunteers from both Ringgold and GC3 who miss a service while faithfully serving in other ministry roles.
More details about How to Study the Bible are coming soon! In the meantime, please pray as we continue exploring Becoming One and prepare to launch Wednesday nights. Our heart is to connect more people in Frederick to Jesus and one another—and we’re excited to see what God will do!
[Image: Smiling man and woman taking a selfie outdoors, with a river and autumn-colored hills behind them]
God Bless,
David Conley
Campus + Worship Pastor
Ringgold + Gc3 Church
Personal Life Update
If you missed it, Elle and I bought our first house and moved from Ringgold to Boonsboro, Maryland! We’re excited for this next adventure as we prepare to welcome our baby girl this January.
And for anyone wondering... no, we are not leaving Ringgold + Gc3. We love our church - both locations! We are deeply rooted here and we are excited for what God is doing through our church!
Our moms are throwing us a housewarming party this Saturday from 9 am to noon. We’d love to have you out to celebrate with us, pray over our house, and see where we plan on not just building our family… but also hosting church and leadership events to build up the church.
Also available as Markdown.