About Grace Community

Together becoming and inviting others to become authentic followers of Christ

Vision


Mission


Story


Dream


Core Beliefs

Our Vision

Vision Statement

“Together becoming, and inviting others to become, authentic followers of Christ.”

• Our vision is way more qualitative than quantitative – although, we do want to invite as many people as possible into its pursuit. Here’s the way we understand it:
• The life of following Jesus is not a “solo sport.” It’s a life together. From cover to cover the Bible teaches that we were created for community and we really do need each other. One of the most beautiful biblical expressions of this life together is found in Acts 2:42-47.
• The life of following Jesus is not an event (although it often begins with a very intentional decision); it’s a transformational journey – a life of becoming. Though it is possible, and even God’s intention, that we would achieve some level of spiritual maturity, there is never a point (this side of heaven) that we arrive. We’re always in process – always becoming. Philippians 3:12-14 comes to mind.
• and inviting others to become speaks of two things: 1. God has commissioned each Christ-follower to be an inviter – no matter how unlikely the invitee may appear on the surface. The truth is, we’ll never lock eyes with a person for whom Jesus did not die and to whom he has not issued an invitation to life. 2. Ours is not a job of brow-beating or finger-wagging; it’s a job of loving (even when we can’t approve of a person’s behavior) and passing out all the invitations we can. Have you read Luke 5:27-31 lately?
• Though none of us are completely innocent of the sin of hypocrisy, Jesus seemed to have a great distaste for what we might call “spiritual pretenders.” The first four books of the NT (Matthew, Mark, Luke and John) are filled with clashes between such “pretenders” and Jesus. Jesus calls us to a life of authenticity as his followers, – a life in which we seek him sincerely, a life in which we are honest about our sin and short-comings, a life in which we recognize our need for one another, and a life that becomes increasingly genuine by his grace at work in us. Take a look at Mark 7:1-8.
• This is not a life of adherence to a religious system. It’s a life devoted to Christ. Better yet, it’s a life that’s said “Yes!” to the radical, redeeming, restoring love of Christ. It’s all about him! He’s the Guide and the Goal. He’s the Way and the Destination. We say, with the Apostle Paul in Philippians 3:10, “I want to know Christ!” And we’d love for you to join us on the journey!

Our Mission

Grace Community exists to worship God through ACTS:

• Attracting – as (by God’s grace at work in us) we live into our vision and become “authentic followers of Christ,” our prayer is that others will be attracted to Jesus as they see his beauty being formed in and expressed through our lives. (Mt. 5:14-16)

• Connecting – we’re convinced that Jesus doesn’t simply want people connected to himself, he wants us connected to his body (AKA, “the church” – a local, living, breathing fellowship of Christ-followers who are figuring out what it means to follow Jesus together authentically). (Heb. 10:24-25)

• Training – having Christ’s likeness formed in us doesn’t happen by accident, or even by“trying” really hard; it happens by training. It happens as we trust him, yield our hearts to him, and follow him — becoming his apprentices and learning to walk in the life-giving ways of his kingdom. (1 Tim. 4:8)

• Sending – Jesus’ intention is for each of us to be engaged, full throttle, in his healing, restoring work in the world. We’re not intended to be trophies, but tools — participants in his redeeming work in the world – stewarding our time, talent, and treasure for his
  kingdom’s sake. (2 Cor. 5:18-20)

Our Story

Grace Community Church of the Nazarene was founded in 1987 as the fulfillment of an undying dream. Due to the pioneer spirit and the risk-taking mentality of the small group of believers who began meeting in the Spring Hill Middle School on Sunday a.m. and the basement of a home on Sunday p.m., God has seen fit to raise up a vibrant, thriving church who has chosen to continue in that same spirit. In May of 1989, the original facility at 19300 S. 169 Hwy. was dedicated to the Lord and occupied by the people. Since then, there has been continued flux and change in scheduling and programming to accommodate and promote the growth and health of the congregation. However, one thing remains the same— we’re still a people with an undying dream to make a great impact on this Southern Johnson and Northern Miami County community (and the world!) for the Kingdom of God.

Our Dream

• To be a church where we love one another boldly, forgive one another freely, serve one another sacrificially, and communicate with one another authentically
• To be a church where people who don’t know Christ receive priority attention and where they are attracted to him by the winsome, authentic, lavish love of Christ that they see us display toward one another
• To be a biblically functioning community of believers where people discover their God-given gifts and employ them gladly in the church for the good of the whole body, where the rich help take care of the poor and the strong help carry the weak, where hurting, struggling folks are not condemned, but cared for and healed and where all people are valued simply on the basis that they matter to God and, therefore, matter to us
• To be a church where seekers can come and find a safe place where they can relate and an open invitation to belong and yet be drawn to a loving Christ who desires to wash away their sin and make them new and whole and clean
• To be a church where it’s okay, even the norm, for people to be real, genuine, vulnerable and transparent, displaying the loving holiness of God that has been poured out in their hearts by the Holy Spirit.
• To be a church where new believers are nurtured, cared for, grounded in their faith and grow to maturity and where mature believers reproduce themselves spiritually in the lives of others
• To be a church that looks beyond itself and beyond it’s immediate community to it’s larger responsibility of helping to fulfill the great commission of Christ to the very ends of the earth.
• To be a church that lives every day as an instrument of hope and healing and compassion and justice and restoration and beauty and righteousness and love in the world, in the name of Christ Jesus, to the glory of God the Father, and in the power of the Holy Spirit.

Core Beliefs

Church of the Nazarene

Grace Community is a part of the Church of the Nazarene.

nazarene.org

We believe …

• in ONE God – one essence, yet three persons – Father, Son, and Spirit. (I.E. Mt. 28:19)
• that all creation was originally “good,” declaring God’s glory, and humanity, the crowning act of God’s creative work, was intended to bear God’s image in the world and live in loving relationship with God and one another. (Gen. 1-2)
• that sin entered the human story when humanity, individually and collectively, refused to trust God and rejected his loving rule and reign. Consequently, humanity (individually and collectively), and all creation, lives with the resulting consequence of human sin — broken relationship with God and all of its collateral damage. (Gen. 3)
• that God is in “hot pursuit” of all humanity; making himself known, inviting us to right relationship with himself, and making it possible to turn to him. (Luke 15:1-7)
• the biblical writers were inspired (in-Spirited) by God in a unique way and that the entire Bible (Old and New Testament books) is a reliable witness to who God is, how we are reconciled to God, and how he intends for his people to live in the world. (2 Tim. 3:16-17)
• that the big, biblical story (Old and New Testaments) of God’s redemptive work is intended to lead us to Jesus, and that Jesus is the full and final revelation of who God is. (John 1:1-18)
• that God, through the life, death, resurrection and ascension of Jesus, is reconciling humanity to himself and urges us, “be reconciled to God.” (2 Cor. 5:19)
• being “reconciled to God” happens as we say, “Yes!” to his loving invitation to relationship in which there is forgiveness, newness of spiritual life, and power to break the stronghold of sin in our hearts and lives. (Eph. 2:4-10)
• that full surrender to the loving leadership of Jesus is intended to be the new normal for Christ-followers. And, as we entrust ourselves fully to him, the Spirit of God fills our lives (think, “wind filling a sail”), empowering us to live as God intended. (Acts 1:8)
• that Jesus will return, as he promised, and will set everything aright. (Rev. 22:20)

For an official doctrinal statement of the Church of the Nazarene, visit: https://nazarene.org/beliefs.