Two Year
Ministry Plan

International serving partners Nick and Annie VanWingerden are located in Grenoble, France, and they are working to strengthen the local church and disciple individuals and families in their community. Recently, they collaborated with staff at Grace Church to translate Authentic Manhood into French! This has provided a great resource to engage the men in their community around what the Bible says about manhood. The VanWingerdens had this to say in their most recent newsletter:

The first session (of seven) went amazingly well. I was particularly encouraged by several of our guys who, as we were wrapping things up, asked me if they could invite non-Christian friends to come to the next session. We are excited to see what the Lord has in store for our men in the coming months as we face the reality of our sinful passivity and autonomy, and learn to depend on God's grace to us in Christ as we take responsibility for the people and situations that He has entrusted into our care.

We are thankful to be able to come alongside our brothers and sisters in France and serve as we build a partnership. We have been able to share helpful resources and minister in other ways as well. A team of men from Grace Church not only delivered the MRT materials, they also spent a week helping with various construction projects. To learn more about our serving partners, click below. You can also subscribe to the VanWingerdens’ newsletter here.

Over the past two years, we have been dedicating our times together during Night of Prayer to learning about the Lord’s Prayer. This past month, we ended the Teach Us to Pray series by focusing on the phrase, “And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.” It was grounding to come together as a church body and reorient ourselves around our need for God and our dependence on him for everything. Campuses also had the opportunity to focus on specific needs related to their members and outreach partners. We are thankful for this time to unify our voices as a church body and seek God together.

If you missed an installment of this series or would like more resources on prayer, click below to find past teaching, prayer prompts, and other resources on our Teach Us to Pray webpage.

One facet of our Outreach ministry is Missions Grants—a funding program that invites our members to apply for yearly grants of $1,000-2,500 to support specific projects or programs of their personal ministry.

As applications for Missions Grants open soon, we’d love to introduce one of our current recipients. Meet Pelham member Dave Wagner! For the past two years, Dave has received a Missions Grant on behalf of Sammy’s Mission, a Christ-centered transitional housing ministry in Greenville. Sammy’s Mission serves men in addiction who have recently completed a recovery program and are looking for a stable living environment that is safe, clean, and will hold them accountable. Participants are employed, engaged in community, participating in weekly meetings, and whole-heartedly focused on being transformed by the Gospel.

Dave shared this with us about his experience with Sammy’s Mission:

The men at Sammy’s Mission have spent most of their lives trying to cope with their wounds apart from Jesus. They’ve tried to manage life, numb their pain, and chase their own visions of success. Drugs and alcohol were some of the avenues they went down. I’ve never done drugs or been addicted. But I know what it looks like to try to be my own king. I just chose different avenues than they did—good grades, athletic awards, a promising career, a stable marriage, and good kids. My ways of living apart from Jesus may have been less physically destructive, but underneath it all, I was managing circumstances and sitting on the throne of my heart. They ran their lives the best they could. I ran mine. We just made different decisions about how to satisfy the deep desires of our hearts. But in the end, we were all running our lives, trying to meet our own desires apart from Jesus.

But thank God, the gospel changes everything. It’s not their fault what’s happened to them, but it’s their responsibility to come to the end of themselves and bring those wounds to Jesus. That’s on me too.

We are so thankful to have a small part in supporting men in our community through organizations like Sammy’s Mission. The grants from Grace Church have been used to help provide a vehicle and to help convert a garage into a finished meeting space that is used weekly. If you are a member and part of a non-profit or ministry that would benefit from a Missions Grant, applications are opening on September 21! Click below to visit the webpage where you can learn more and apply.

Our students have been busy in several different avenues over the summer! One way they served our community was through Mission Upstate, which took place over the course of three weeks. Check out some highlights below:

How many people participated?

• 65 students and about 40 adult staff and volunteers
• 5 students were junior staff—they led their peers in service projects

What kinds of projects did they do?

• Leading an afternoon day camp for kids in the Poe Mill neighborhood
• Cleaning out old furniture at Griggs, our partner church
• Washing Salvation Army vehicles
• Yard work at Poe Mill Achievement Center
• Helped out at Manna Food Ministry, which provides food for homeless or low-income individuals and families.
• Prepared sandwiches for and engaged in conversations with homeless friends at The Way Outreach Center.
• Trash pick up around the Poe Mill and San Souci neighborhoods
• Served at Front Porch Housing
• Helped with house projects for members at our Taylors campus

These students served our community, showing the love of Jesus in tangible ways. It was an impactful discipleship experience for them, and we hope you will join us in praising God for all he did through Mission Upstate.

This summer, we celebrated 20 years of partnering with Christ for the City International in Nicaragua! Over the past two decades, many teams from Grace Church have come alongside our friends at CFCI to support them and minister to local churches in Nicaragua. Click the video below to see photos from over the years and hear both our members and our partners reflect on how God has worked in our lives and in the lives of those we minister to.

This summer, we had 22 Kairos interns who served across all our campuses in various ministry areas. Not only did they get hands-on experience serving alongside Grace staff, they also took classes and spent focused time learning about what it means to work in ministry roles.

Here’s what a few of them had to say about what they learned this summer:

"It's been more challenging than I thought. Not necessarily what I'm doing at work, but just examining your heart. I've been leaving class pretty deeply reflecting, thinking like oh wow, there are some ways that this really applies to my life—and things I need to consider, surrender to the Lord, and pray about in my life. And I love that I've had that opportunity." - Kayla Lee

"Learning how to receive criticism and to show up on time and to do the small things well and to have credibility translates to any field. Learning how to work and receive criticism was so valuable for anything I'll do after this." - Luke Smith

"Serving in Mosaic has been my favorite part. I've seen people with disabilities be neglected in church, specifically with my sister, and seeing how Grace treats these people as the body of the church has been awe-inspiring." - Emma Schubert

We are so thankful for the opportunity to pour into these interns and see what God is doing in and through them. Will you join us in prayer for them as they move into the next season of their lives? To learn more about Kairos, click below.

This summer, a team of parents and students had the unique opportunity to work together on a mission team in Kenya. It was a special discipleship experience for these teens and their parents to serve together in an international context. They were able to serve and connect with children and teens who are part of OVC—a program that provides physical, academic, and relational support to children in need within the community of local churches.

Many of our families have been supporting children through the OVC program for years, and some had the opportunity to meet the child they have been sponsoring from afar. Joe Maurer and his daughter Lilly, members of the Taylors campus, got to meet the two boys they have been supporting. They shared this with us:

Our family has been so privileged to sponsor and get to know two Kenyan boys for almost ten years. Our oldest, Francis, is currently a teenager, and we’ve been able to watch him transition from primary school to his second year of university. Our second, Samuel, is younger and is now transitioning to become a young man at his primary school. It’s been a joy to communicate with them several times a year as they’ve been able to learn about our family, and us about theirs. I have met Francis several times on my trips to Kenya, and it’s been rewarding for me to develop an actual friendship with him.

This summer, though, was even more exciting, since Lilly (our teenager) was also able to meet both of our boys with their families. The joy witnessed by the Kenyan grandparents that care for both boys was so palpable, it brought me to tears. We are, as a church and individuals, not just sending money, we’re forming relationships and seeing lives change. It is through those relationships that God is working. Certainly our support as a church has changed the trajectory of both these boys’ lives, but more important is the reality that they both see and know the Lord loves them in such a tangible way.

What a blessing to see how life change is happening across countries and cultures! If you would like to learn more about the OVC program, click below.

This summer, many of our members served at Front Porch Housing by helping run their summer camp. These volunteers showed up to provide a time of fun, connection, and discipleship during the week for the kids at Front Porch, giving their parents freedom to go to work without having to arrange childcare.

Here’s what some of the volunteers had to say:

"I have seen the kids here at Front Porch embrace community with their friends, learn how to follow their leaders with respect, and have conversations about Jesus that were pretty much non-existent at the beginning of camp. These children have also taught me so much about myself and helped me see the places where my need for Jesus is so evident."

"From the first day of camp we saw shy, timid kids who were mad that they had to come to summer camp—to now seeing well-mannered, outgoing, out-spoken kids! It has been so fun to see them come out of their shells and explore new opportunities and things!"

"The Lord has so clearly been at work over the past eight weeks. We have seen many campers open up and share their stories. They have grown in responsibility and respect towards those in authority and their peers. One week, we talked about the fruit of the Spirit, which was key for the remainder of camp since it gave us the vocabulary of patience, kindness, and love. Those were clear areas of growth for most of our campers!”

Front Porch Housing is always in need of volunteers as well as donors. You can volunteer in many different ways—tutoring, car repair, financial coaching, and more. If you are interested in learning more about volunteer opportunities at Front Porch Housing, click below to visit their website.

Ascend is a week-long camp for students ages 5–18 who have experienced the divorce of their parents or the loss of a loved one, and for children ages 6–11 who have a sibling with disabilities. This summer, we hosted Ascend at our Powdersville and Pelham campuses—over 75 kids and teens attended, and over 35 volunteers helped run the camps.

Students were able to be in groups with their peers and discuss the common experiences associated with grief, divorce, and having a family member with a disability. They learned what God says about these challenges, healthy coping, and had lots of opportunities to connect with each other and their leaders. They also simply had a good time playing games and doing activities!

One of our volunteers had this to say about Ascend:

My favorite part of the week was watching kids play in the rain and their leaders playing with them. Having fun is a central piece to those camps so that it's not just heavy and difficult conversations, but that kids who are dealing with trauma can play and heal. So to see the volunteers really emphasize and value fun/play time as a form of love and connection was incredible to see.

Ascend was open to the community, and it was a great opportunity to support families who are not connected to Grace Church. As kids spoke about their struggles within their group, it opened up additional opportunities for us to support the family as a whole in very real and tangible ways that made the gospel accessible. Also, many parents reported thankfulness about what their kids were learning about truths and skills to help them process their losses.

Will you join us in thanking God for all the growth and healing we saw through Ascend this summer? To learn more about our Care & Recovery ministries for all ages, click below.

Last fall, Grace hosted a simulcast of the Replanted Conference—a time away for foster, adoptive, and kinship parents to be refreshed, equipped, and inspired. Many of our families benefited from the content and community, and they are excited about the conference coming up again this year.

Dan and Amy Johnson began fostering in 2015, adopted their two sons in 2018, and have been fostering ever since. They shared some of their takeaways from the Replanted Conference with us:

One helpful part of the conference was hearing from adults who have grown up in foster care or been adopted. There were several speakers who had lived in foster care as children and shared their story and perspective. It was so helpful to us to hear what their foster parents did well and what they could have done better. It was very applicable, and we were able to use their tips in our current fostering experience. They also shared the importance of fostering sibling relationships if their sibling isn't placed in the same home. Our two current foster children have a sister who was placed in another home, not with us. It opened our eyes to the importance of helping our two fosters have a way to still communicate and visit with their sister.

There were also speakers who gave us practical ways to help with our foster children's sleeping habits, discipline issues, and how to best care for children from trauma backgrounds.

It takes a commitment of time and work to find childcare for your children in order to attend, but it is definitely worth it. We were able to talk with other foster parents in our community whom we have kept in contact with since the conference. It can be such a lonely place when people in your lives don't understand the daily life of fostering, all of the uncertainties, the ups and downs, the busy schedules of therapy, DSS visits, etc., but when you have others around you who are living the same experiences, it helps to be reminded we are not alone. We cannot do this ministry of fostering alone. It truly takes a community of others around you who are willing to step in and walk along beside you.

We are so thankful for this opportunity for our foster, adoptive, and kinship families to connect and be equipped as they live out the gospel in this unique way. If you or someone you know could benefit from this conference, please click below to learn more. Registration for the 2023 conference is open, and it will take place at Grace Church’s Pelham campus on November 3–4. If you have any questions, please email Beth Drake at [email protected].

After a summer of studying Short Books of the Bible and Not Mine, a series on stewardship, we are excited to return to the Gospel of John! To help us remember and refocus, we have a few resources to capture our imaginations and point our hearts towards what God has for us in John’s Gospel.

The Grace Church Member’s podcast recently released an episode where Bill White sits down with Chris Rivers and Scott Mozingo to look back at the central themes in John—particularly what it means to have a real, living relationship with Jesus Christ. They look at the life and ministry of Jesus through John's distinct lens, emphasizing the significance of trust, obedience, and discipleship. Bill gives us a recap of key narratives from the first ten chapters of John's gospel, and in preparation of the upcoming chapters, they discuss the paradox of belief and doubt, along with other themes that are prevalent in the second half of John's Gospel.

You can listen to this podcast episode on your preferred platform, or click here to listen in our Resource Library.

We also watched a video this past weekend that captures the big ideas of John and reminds us that we must either accept or reject Jesus as he offers himself. Click below to watch. You can also watch sermons from the first half of the series on the series page!

Mosaic Inspire is our weekday discipleship ministry for adults with disabilities, and last week, they celebrated their two-year anniversary! We are so thankful for all our participants, as well as our staff and volunteers who serve these individuals and their families. At the celebration, it was sweet to look back over the past two years, see how our participants have grown, and praise God for all he has done. Each of our Mosaic individuals shared their stories, and it was such a blessing to hear what God is teaching each of them. Here’s a small snapshot of some of what was shared:

In the last year, God has shown me that his love is powerful. I’ve been through many struggles like having more seizures, but God has used my parents because they have been helping me be calm and not anxious through my seizures. —Stuart

Now that I am a Christian, everything has changed. My attitude is better, but I still get angry sometimes, but I know I am forgiven when I ask him to forgive me. At Inspire, I can serve people like God wants me to do. He gave me new friends that know God. —Quin

I feel sad sometimes because Jesus suffered for me, but this inspires me to glorify him every day by reading the Bible and talking to others about him. Today, God is giving me peace and strength through hard times. —Becca

We hope you will join us in thanking God for all he has done through Mosaic Inspire! To learn more about this ministry, or find out how you can serve, click below. You can also visit with some of our Mosaic Inspire friends at the Inspire Coffee House, located at Front Porch Housing!

Last week, a group of about 50 students came together for Students Worship Equip. This was a unique opportunity for our students to receive training on why worship and serving are important, and to be developed in their musical and audio visual skills.

Students and about 25 staff and volunteers spent two days together—hearing teaching, playing games, and participating in role-specific workshops. Each student was placed into a band, and coaches taught them how to play songs. They got to practice, receive feedback, and even play for their families at the end of the event. The audio visual students had their own workshop and learned how to run slides, light, and sound for the performances.

One staff member had this to say about the event:

It was cool to see students forming friendships with one another from different campuses and also being mentored by adult volunteers from their campus. It’s also great to see them plugged into serving roles which will put them into proximity with more mature believers who are then able to leverage that relationship with them to teach them more about Jesus.

We are so thankful to see this kind of life-on-life discipleship happening with our students. Will you join us in praying for these students as they use their talents to serve God and our church body? To learn more about Grace Church Students, click below.

The heartbeat of our Foster & Adopt ministry happens at the campus level—where dedicated volunteers help connect families, provide support, and facilitate events. One example of the many ways this is happening across the Upstate is at our Anderson campus! Volunteer Cullen Jennings shared a few ways our church body is supporting foster and adoptive families in Anderson:

In the fall, we had a brunch for our foster and adoptive parents. The premise of this event was just for our families to connect with each other since some parents and families at our campus may not even know each other! The parents LOVED it. They mentioned how they'd love for the kids to connect as well (we hosted this event on a Sunday morning, so kids were in regular Sunday morning classes). This inspired the family cookout! Parents and kids were able to connect with each other and bond over similar stories.

One woman who attended is about to get her first foster placement, and it was helpful for her to see many families who have already begun that journey. Now she has faces and phone numbers to reach out to if she has questions.

This is just one small glimpse into the bigger picture of how discipleship is happening for our foster and adoptive families at Grace Church. We also have many members who serve as guardians ad litem, those who provide meals for Families Count, and there are many other opportunities. If you would like to learn more about how you can support our Foster & Adopt community, click below.

This year, a team from Grace Church was able to take re|engage content and minister to local pastors and ministry leaders in Cape Verde. Re|engage is a marriage ministry for all married couples, offering hope and encouragement through stories, teaching, and small group discussions. Grace already had connections established with local churches in Cape Verde, and this was a great opportunity to serve them by offering personal support and resources. Click the video below to hear Pastor of Marriage Jeremy Meyer, along with his wife Brooke, share more about this trip, how God is working in Cape Verde, and how we can pray. To learn more about re|engage, click below.

Believe it or not, we are halfway through our summer of ministering in Allendale County through Camp Impact—a six-week day camp for children ages 5-12. Hosted by Fairfax First Baptist Church, Nazarene Missionary Baptist Church, and Grace Church, Camp Impact aims to equip the next generation to make an impact for Christ in their schools and communities.

We have six college interns serving full-time as Camp Staff counselors at Camp Impact in Allendale this summer. They are working to make mature followers of Jesus and empower campers to become young leaders in their communities.

• Pray for campers to embrace the gospel and develop a personal relationship with Jesus.
• Pray for the Camp Staff's energy, joy, and peace as they serve the campers and facilitate our Students mission teams.
• Pray that this experience draws each staff member closer to the heart of God.
• Pray for the short-term mission trips going to Allendale this summer—that they may serve, love, and share the gospel with the campers.

We are thankful for all the ways God has worked in the first three weeks of camp, and we ask you to join us in praying for the remaining three weeks! To learn more about the history of our partnerships with local churches and organizations in Allendale, click below.

This summer, we have been working our way through a unique sermon series—Short Books. One of our core values is being Biblically Oriented, which means we teach through books of the Bible in our weekend services, usually over the course of months. Instead of choosing a longer book, we took the opportunity this summer to tackle the five, one-chapter books in the Bible: Philemon, Obadiah, Jude, 2 John, and 3 John. Learning what God has for us through these lesser known books has been both challenging and encouraging. If you missed a week and want to listen to past teaching, or if you want to dig deeper through additional resources, click below to check out the series page.

Last week, a team from our Spartanburg campus traveled to Puerto Rico to come alongside our partner, Hunger Corp. The team worked to rebuild and repair two houses that had been damaged in past hurricanes. However, just as important as working to provide physical shelter for people, team members were able to build relationships, encourage, and pray for those they served. At both work sites, the individuals whose homes were worked on have experienced significant challenges. Through their work in close proximity to these individuals, the team was able to connect with them personally and live out the love of Christ in tangible ways.

One team member had this to say about connecting with one of the people they served:

Before we left, we all met together and prayed over him as a team and spoke the blessings of the Lord over him. It was so humbling to serve in that way, and in the grand scheme of things, who are we that God would use us in such a way?

Will you pray with us over what God is doing in Puerto Rico and how he is discipling our members through short-term missions? If you are interested in joining a team, click below to learn about upcoming opportunities.