Contributors
Steve's church

Maple Grove Christian Church
Charlottesville, Virginia 22911
434-973-2066

About Steve
  • Education: I spend 9 1/2 years in the submarine force of the United States Navy in the nuclear power field. At age 27 I enrolled at Florida Christian College and graduated with a BA in 1992. I graduted from Loch Raven Sr High in Baltimore Maryland in 1978. Home of the best seafood in the world. And the best beach - go O.C.!
  • Experience: I have been in full time ministry since December of 1991 serving in 3 churches in Florida and 1 in Georgia before coming to Virginia.
  • Comment to those looking at my sermons: If anything I have put down can help you - I think that is sooo awesome! Back in Kindergarten I was told to share and I can think of nothing better than sharing truths of God with fellow believers (but don’t ask me to share chocolate with you - that would be asking too much). Feel free to use all you can - nothing is ever 100% original. And sorry for all the typos.
  • Sermon or series that made a difference: A verse by verse study of the Gospel of Matthew.
  • Family: I am married to an incredible lady named Lauire who is not only a partner at home but a great partner in ministry, she teaches me much and keeps me on my toes. I have 5 children - Chelsea, John, Leila, Mei-Leigh, Jin-Tao (the two youngest were adopted from China) and I have 7 grandchildren (Zebulon, Micaiah, Micah, Asher, Lucy, Cana, Ezra)
  • What my parents think of my sermons: My dad went home to be the Lord in Sept of 1999. My mom went home in August of 2013 but she loved my messages - you know how moms are.
  • What my spouse (really) thinks of my sermons: I think, she thinks they rock... but that they could be a little shorter. I’m working on that.
  • Best advice given to me about preaching: Make sure that you are spending time with God as a first priority - you know what I mean Q.T.’s (quiet times) - it is hard to talk about a personal God if you don’t have a personal relationship to him. I find that when I have been ’hangin’ with God things flow naturally. ALSO when you preach make every effort to do so for God and not the applause of men (I find that to be hard at times). REMEMBER - your job is to put the beauty of the Christ on display not your own or even your churches’.
  • Books that have had an impact: Waking The Dead, Signature of Jesus, Seizing Your Divine Moment, ME, Emotionally Healthy Spirituality
  • Hobbies: Hanging with my wife & kids... Reading books, playing racketball and working out. Watching the NFL.
  • If I could Preach one more time, I would say...: There is nothing greater in life then KNOWING Christ. He is all we need.
  • Something funny that happened while preaching: Once when I was trying to rent out my house I forgot and left my pager on.. Right in the middle of my sermon it went off (I was talking about materailism) - I turned it off and then acted as though God had just given me a message - the people got a kick out of it.. Also I once preached an entire sermon with my zipper down (I’ve been paranoid about that ever since)
  • What I want on my tombstone: He saved nothing for the next life
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Newest Sermons

  • God Turned It Around

    Contributed on May 13, 2026
    based on 1 rating
     | 511 views

    In this conversation we will Jesus displaying His authority over disease and death by turning things around for a desperate woman and a desperate father.

    “God Turned It Around” Matthew 9:18-26 OKAY – let’s do this, Matthew 9:18-26... While He was saying this, a synagogue leader came and knelt before him and said, “My daughter has just died. But come and put your hand on her, and she will live.” Jesus got up and went with him, and so did His ...read more

  • I Have A Friend Who Does Not Believe In God

    Contributed on Apr 22, 2026
    based on 2 ratings
     | 263 views

    This morning I want to give 4 pieces of evidence that point to the existence of God…

    I Have A Friend Who Doesn’t Believe In God? In 1 Peter 3:15 we find these words; “…always be ready to make a defense to everyone who asks to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence.” TODAY – we begin a brand new series called, “I Have A Friend Who…” AND ...read more

  • Why We Do What We Do

    Contributed on Apr 22, 2026
    based on 1 rating
     | 207 views

    And the way I want to attack our text is by answering 5 questions...Why did the Pharisees fast? Why did JTB disciples fast? Why didn’t Jesus’ disciples fast? Why did Jesus do what He did? Why do we do, what we do?

    Why Do We Do, What We Do? Matthew 9:14-17 OKAY let’s read the text that we are going to unpack today, and then I will pray us into our time of study. BUT BEFORE – I do, let me ask you a question... Do you think that God has a truth that He wants to speak into your life this morning in our time ...read more

  • Is There A Doctor In The House

    Contributed on Apr 15, 2026
    based on 1 rating
     | 473 views

    in this conversation we see Jesus once again demonstrating His authority as He proclaims that He has the authority to forgive sins.

    Is There A Doctor In The House? Matthew 9:1-13 OKAY – let’s do this... 2000 years ago Jesus sat down on a mountainside overlooking the Sea Of Galilee... and presented His Kingdom Manifesto (aka, The Sermon on The Mount) a conversation about what it means to live in His Kingdom. AND – Jesus ...read more

  • They Begged Him To

    Contributed on Apr 14, 2026
    based on 1 rating
     | 218 views

    An exegetical study of Matthew 8:28-34, where Jesus casts demons out into some pigs. Man, there is a lot of great truths in this text.

    “They Begged Him To...” Matthew 8:28-34 OKAY – let’s do this! NOW - I want to begin by reading a couple passage of Scripture that Paul wrote to the church in Ephesus, and then I will pray us into our time of study this morning. AND BTW – that is what we do every week at The Grove, we study the ...read more

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  • In The Name Of Jesus Stop!

    Contributed on Sep 7, 2022
    based on 2 ratings
     | 3,731 views

    Telemachus was a monk in the 4th century. One day in prayer, He felt called by God to leave immediately and head to Rome. So he put his possessions in a sack and headed out. Upon arriving in Rome, he was immediately caught up in the crowd. The crowd was immense and excited. Soon ...read more

  • Forgiveness

    Contributed on Feb 3, 2021
    based on 2 ratings
     | 9,365 views

    It was in a church in Munich that I saw him, a balding heavyset man in a gray overcoat, a brown felt hat clutched between his hands. People were filing out of the basement room where I had just spoken, moving along the rows of wooden chairs to the door at the rear. It was 1947 and I had come from ...read more

  • Giving

    Contributed on Oct 2, 2019
    based on 2 ratings
     | 6,602 views

    “I do not believe one can settle how much we ought to give. I am afraid the only safe rule is to give more than we can spare. In other words, if our expenditure on comforts, luxuries, amusements, etc, is up to the standard common among those with the same income as our own, we are probably giving ...read more

  • No - I Don't Look As Good As When I Was Brand ...

    Contributed on Mar 15, 2005
    based on 1 rating
     | 8,725 views

    NO - I don’t look as good as when I was brand new… AND - that’s why I need someone who will hold me and love me, like they don’t even notice the difference… ONE - of my favorite authors writes; There are 2 truths about human beings that matter deeply. We are all rag dolls. Flawed and wounded, ...read more

  • There Is Such A Love That Creates Value In What ...

    Contributed on Mar 15, 2005
    based on 2 ratings
     | 8,071 views

    There is such a love that creates value in what is loved. There is a love that turns rag dolls into priceless treasures. There is a love that fastens itself onto ragged little creatures, for reasons that no one could ever quite figure out, and makes them precious and valued beyond calculation. ...read more