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
Shared Links
Browse All

Newest Sermons

  • The Way In, Is All In

    Contributed on Jul 25, 2025
    based on 2 ratings
     | 549 views

    A message about how Jesus wants disciples and not fans and about counting the cost.

    “The Way In, Is All In” Matthew 8:18-22 QUESTION – who here in this room or watching online is ready to dive into some... • ‘alive and active’ • ‘sharper than a double edge word’ • ‘judging the thoughts and attitudes of your heart and mine’ Word of God? OKAY – let’s do this! NOW - I want to ...read more

  • Yeah, It's Him!

    Contributed on Jul 17, 2025
    based on 2 ratings
     | 325 views

    In this conversation (Matthew 8:14-17) we will uncover 5 powerful truths about Jesus.

    “Yeah, It’s Him!” Matthew 8:14-17 OKAY – let’s do this! SO – we are in a verse by verse study of the Gospel of Matthew (The King and His Kingdom)... AND AGAIN – from the day we launched it, the goal of this study has been... To gain a greater understanding of both who Jesus is, and of what it ...read more

  • Amazing Faith

    Contributed on Jul 17, 2025
    based on 2 ratings
     | 258 views

    What we can learn from Jesus' encounter with a Roman centurion who had a faith that amazed Jesus

    “Amazing Faith...” Matthew 8:5-13 Prayer... OKAY – let’s do this! We are in a verse by verse study of the Gospel of Matthew. AND LISTEN – from our very first week diving into these 2000 year old words written by the x-tax collector, Our goal has been the same... The goal - to have a greater ...read more

  • If You Are Willing

    Contributed on Jul 17, 2025
    based on 2 ratings
     | 193 views

    The powerful encounter Jesus has with a man who has leprosy

    If You Are Willing Matthew 8:1-4 NOW THIS MORNING – after our break for the Easter Season, where we are jumping back into our verse by verse study of The Gospel of Matthew... UNDERSTAND – in His Gospel Matthew wants to us to know that Jesus is the promised King... IN FACT – He makes this clear ...read more

  • You Choices Matter

    Contributed on Jul 17, 2025
    based on 2 ratings
     | 377 views

    Jesus concludes His sermon of the mount with 4 choices that we all are making.

    Your Choices Matter... A Lot, Like Eternally QUESTION... • Are you ready to dive into the living and active word of God this morning? • Are you going to approach His word today with that are minds ready to listen and with hearts that are ready to respond? • Do you believe that God’s word has the ...read more

Browse All

Newest Sermon Series

Browse All

Newest Sermon Illustrations

  • In The Name Of Jesus Stop!

    Contributed on Sep 7, 2022
    based on 2 ratings
     | 3,244 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
     | 8,627 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 1 rating
     | 4,463 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
     | 8,289 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
     | 7,778 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