Greg Locke is back in the pulpit, and the controversial pastor is making it clear that he has no intention of letting a federal raid, banking problems or what he calls media "vultures" derail his church.
Speaking to Global Vision Bible Church on Sunday, July 26, Locke claimed the congregation has now overcome the financial complications that reportedly surfaced after federal agents raided his home.
"The Lord, the last couple of weeks, has worked through all of the banking difficulties and all of that," Locke told worshippers. "All of it's good-all of it's clear-and God's building the storehouse."
The confident update came after a turbulent period for Locke, who had stepped away for a six-Sunday sabbatical following the death of his 20-year-old son, Evan. Locke previously alleged that federal authorities were examining claims involving child trafficking as well as the church's finances. Authorities have not publicly confirmed the full scope of any investigation.
But while Locke says the banking drama has been resolved, another mystery is creating plenty of chatter: Where exactly is Global Vision Bible Church moving?
Locke had previously announced that the congregation would leave its current warehouse and begin worshipping in another building. However, the pastor admitted Sunday that the church would remain at the warehouse for at least one more week.
He then turned his attention to reports accusing him of being secretive about the new property-and he did not hold back.
"You know, the difficulty sometimes in pastoring this church is the media," Locke complained. "They're like vultures: 'Give us a quote! Give us a quote!'"
His response?
"Here's my quote: 'No further comment.'"
Locke insisted the church is not disappearing into some hidden compound or moving far away. According to him, the new building is located in the same town-but leadership refuses to reveal the address until the move is complete.
"We're moving to another building. We're moving in the same town. We're not moving that far away," Locke said. "And we're not able to say anything publicly because people are stupid. It's just that simple."
The pastor claimed that once rumours began circulating about a possible property, opponents allegedly contacted lawyers and threatened legal action against the building's owner if an agreement with Global Vision moved forward.
Locke appeared to frame the secrecy not merely as a practical business decision, but as spiritual warfare.
"The best plans are the ones that God lays out, and we don't tell anybody what God's doing, so the enemy can't sabotage the work of the Holy Ghost," he declared.
Although Locke rejected the phrase "secret location," he quickly conceded that the address would, in fact, remain secret until the congregation was safely inside.
"Then it'll be real public," he said, adding that critics would be forced to watch the church "get fat on the abundance and the blessings of the Lord."
Locke also compared himself to King Josiah, telling the congregation that the future building was being cleared out and transformed into what he described as a "beautiful, beautiful house" of God.
The pastor acknowledged that he may have previously revealed church plans too early, allowing what he called "the enemy" to interfere.
"Sometimes, I've come out and said things a little too quickly and prematurely, and the enemy was able to get a foot in the door," Locke admitted. "We're not going to let him get a foot in the door. We're not going to let him get a foot in the parking lot."
Locke repeatedly assured members that church leaders were not misleading them and that a firm plan was already unfolding behind the scenes.
"God's got a plan, God's got a place, and God's presence is going to go before us," he said.
Before collecting the morning offering, Locke compared Global Vision's current predicament to Peter stepping out of the boat and walking on water.
"Our church is out of the boat and on the water," he declared. "So, we have two choices: We can walk, or we can drown."
For Locke, however, there appeared to be only one acceptable choice.
"I'm choosing to walk," he said, "and I believe I got a room full of people that are choosing to walk with me as I follow the Lord."
With the banking crisis supposedly resolved, federal scrutiny still hanging over the story and the church's next address being guarded from both critics and the alleged "enemy," Locke's latest sermon offered reassurance to supporters-but likely raised even more questions for everyone watching from the outside.
