Our Story
In 1987/88, a group of Bellvillians (?), Bellvillenites (?)... folks from Bellville who were passionate about Jesus started praying about how they might make an impact in their town. They wanted what most Jesus gatherings want, to share His life and love with each other and those in the community. So they did just that and Bellville Bible Church was chartered.
Over 30 years later, Grace Community Church is continuing that vision. Sure the people look different (some older, some newer), and our facilities have undergone some changes, but it's still the same message: to know Christ and to make Him known.
We're excited about the next 30 years!
Who We Are
Learn more about us and who we are as a church!
Our
Mission
Grace Community Church exists to share Jesus with our community, invite them to join His family of believers, and grow in faith together as we love God and serve others.
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These five action words summarize the who and what of Grace Community Church. We get them from two passages in the Bible:
| the Great Commandment - love God with all that you are and love your neighbor as yourself.
| the Great Commission - go and make disciples, and baptize them in the Name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
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While the wording is unique to Grace Community Church and reflects what we want for Bellville, Texas and the surrounding areas; the mission is for every church, in any town, at any time, because ultimately, we believe it's God's mission. And we get to be a part of it!
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Grace Community Church recognizes the following core values:
| God First
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God is the goal and means of everything we do. He is how we do it. He is why we do it. He is how we get there. It's all about Him.
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| Radical Obedience
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What seems radical to others, is actually the normal response to the grace of God. If we love God, we will show it in how we live. We trust Him to take our efforts, and tell a beautiful story.
| Authentic Relationships
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To be known and loved by another is the healthiest, and hardest thing we can ever do. But it's in these spaces that we can truly change, and inspire others to do the same. Real, lasting life change does not take place apart from real, authentic relationships. We want to be open and honest, and allows others to be the same.
| Community-Minded
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For authentic relationships to exist, there has to be a sense of community; a commitment to meet with other people. Community is our reminder that it's not just about us and our small circle of authentic relationships. It's our high and holy calling to be a part of something much bigger than ourselves.
| Pursue Excellence
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God always gives us His best. We see this especially in Jesus. To live excellently in all things is to live like God lives. We want to live this way in how we speak, sing, pray, and do our jobs. This excellence inspires others and honors God.
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These five values outline the why and how, and are drawn from the word "grace". After all, a name should say it all, right?
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Our
Values
What We Believe
Learn more about us and what we believe!
Beliefs
What we know about God is important, but what we believe about God is most important, for that will determine how we live. Jesus says plainly, that if we love him we will do what He says.
Knowledge of God is meant to fuel love for God. These are not mere mental affirmations, but beautiful, awe-inspiring truths that spur us on to more devotion and faithfulness in following God.
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In addition, we strive for unity in essentials and liberty in non-essentials. We want to be on the same page (pun intended) for the truths that matter most. If we did not hold to these, then we would not be followers of Jesus (think Jesus' real and bodily resurrection). We also want to allow for freedom in exploring who this amazing God is and how He calls us to live (think drinking alcohol, or clothing styles). Even in non-essentials, it is essential that we love and care for each other, regardless of how we think or feel about the issue.
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With that in mind, our core beliefs are expressed below, and are not intended to be exhaustive.
God
Authority of Scripture
Humans
Salvation
God created humanity in His own image. We are meant to showcase God's rule and reign over creation - this is true of every human.
In addition, as a part of God's royal court, we possess skills and abilities that allow for wise ruling, e.g., mind, intellect, will, emotion - these skills and abilities are expressed in varying degrees by all humans.
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We were created for relationships and thrive when we are participating in loving, welcoming communities with God as the focal point and life source.
Genesis 1:26; Psalm 8:3-9; Acts 2:42-47; 1 John 3:1-3, 10, 14
We recognize that there is one living and true God, who exists in three persons — Father, Jesus Christ the Son, and the Holy Spirit — but without division of nature, essence, or being.
He is the source of all life and all things were created by Him. He is supreme in all His attributes, such that we could say He is perfect. He is perfect in power. He is perfect in love. He is perfect in justice.
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He is the only Being in the universe who is eternally worthy of all of our praise, adoration, and worship. Indeed, God desires this, as He is personal and wants a relationship with His creation, namely humanity.
Genesis 1:26; Deuteronomy 6:4; Psalm 19:7-11; John 1:1; John 1:14; Colossians 1:16; 1 Timothy 2:4
The Bible is a masterful literary work and manifests the wisdom of God. He is its sole-author, in the sense that the Bible says exactly what God intends it to say.
He communicated the truths of Scripture, to ancient Israel (the Old Testament) and to the early Church (New Testament), who wrote in their own languages, in their own cultures, with ideas and concepts that were available to them at that point in human history, in order to communicate the nature and character of God.
It is the final authority on matters of life and faith, and is the primary way that God now communicates with us. It is to be read, studied, and meditated on, personally and corporately for the life of any follower of Jesus.
Psalm 1: 3; 2 Timothy 3:16-17; 2 Peter 1:20-21
Salvation is God's free choice to eternally commit Himself to rebellious people who, through the power of His self-giving love, could be radically transformed into the types of people God intends, namely loving, others focused, patient, kind, generous, etc.
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Salvation is necessary because we have openly rebelled against God's good and wise rule and are worthy of eternal condemnation. Apart from the grace of God, we are eternally separated, and have no hope of returning to Him. But through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus, we can have new life, even Jesus' very own life for all of eternity. This life is applied to all believers by the Holy Spirit on the basis of faith.
It is a free gift and can never be earned, but will prove itself through a new lifestyle and patterns of thinking that manifest in new behaviors.
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Genesis 3; Jeremiah 31:31-34; Mark 10:45; Romans 6 & 8; Ephesians 2:8-10; Revelation 21:1-8