1. WHAT IS YOUR “DRESS CODE”?

We believe that our dress should reflect our love to the Lord and modesty towards others. It would be a mistake to say that it doesn't matter at all what we wear, but it would equally be a mistake to say that the church should be about monitoring brands and clothing styles. Thus, on any given Sunday you’ll see a balanced mix of folks wearing anything from casual attire to dress suits and ties.

2. DO YOU HAVE WHEEL-CHAIR ACCESS?

Yes! Our entire campus is on one level and can be accessed by wheelchair. Even our ball field has an access ramp.

3. WHAT BIBLE VERSION DO YOU USE?

The Bible version we generally use is the New American Standard Bible, but we also love and respect many other Bible versions including the King James Bible, New King James, New International Version and the recently released English Standard Version.

4. HOW LONG DO YOUR WORSHIP SERVICES LAST?

Most of our Sunday services last for about 1 hour and 30 minutes. We do our best to faithfully stay within that time frame and we hope that the services engage your spirit so the time flies by!

5. WHERE DO I PARK?

You will find that we have ample parking on our campus. Just pull in and more than likely you can find available spaces in the front or side lots. If you're coming to an event on our ball field, you can go around back and find parking behind the gym. Generally, parking is not a problem.

6. WHERE DO MY CHILDREN GO?

Infants under 24 months old have a nursery inside the main entrance by our sanctuary. Children over 24 months old will go to the gym building. 

7. WHAT’S IT LIKE GOING TO YOUR CHURCH?

We understand that many people are looking for a place to connect with God and may not know much about us or what to expect. In a nutshell, we are a church family of people who love the Lord and love others. Time and again, we hear from visitors about how they have enjoyed our church service and felt so warmly welcomed. We’re pretty sure that when you arrive someone will greet you and maybe even chat for a moment. You’ll probably find your way to a seat and have a few moments to flip through the bulletin. Our services usually start on time and begin with a few songs along with prayer from one of the worship leaders. We’ll have announcements, take an offering (though we suggest visitors put in their friendship card--we want our guests to feel no obligation to contribute to the financial operations of the church), and then our pastor will preach/explain God’s Word for about 40 minutes. Sometimes we end with a hymn and everyone is encouraged to mill around after the service to enjoy the fellowship, a cup of coffee and perhaps a bite to eat. If you would like to hear what our sermons are like, click here to access a list of our messages.

8. WHAT IF I'M NOT REALLY A "CHURCH-GOING" KIND OF PERSON?

Lots of people feel like they don't belong in church because it's only a place for religious people. That's not us! We want you to know that there is absolutely a home for you at Grace! In fact, nearly all of our 800+ people who call Grace their home didn't grow up going to a church like ours—we're all in the same boat you are! That's why we don't get hung-up on things like old rituals and empty traditions. You’ll find our service pretty natural and straight-forward—we come together to experience a relationship with God through music, biblical instruction, fellowship and service. This attitude spills over into our church life too. There are all kinds of ways to get plugged in here (check out our Getting Plugged In page) and we encourage you to look around this site and get a sense about how you can fit into the work God is doing here at Grace Bible!

9. ARE YOU GUYS GOING TO ASK ME TO GIVE LOTS OF MONEY?

No. Every service we encourage our new visitors to provide us with a record of your visit by placing our welcome/prayer card, found in each bulletin, in the basket but to feel no obligation to give financially, we’re just happy to have you join us. 

Regarding our financial policy, we have taken various measures to ensure they are handled with wisdom and integrity. Money is always collected and counted by two or more, checks cannot be written and signed by the same individual, a CPA audits our finances, and all spending is accounted for on our quarterly and annual budgets which are publicly distributed and examined by the church body. 

10. WHY GO TO CHURCH ANYWAY?

Well, first of all it's commanded in Hebrews 10:24-25 which says, "...let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds, not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another..." The Bible is very clear that we all need other believers and spiritual shepherds in our lives to assist us with the truths of Scripture. Being a part of a church community is an opportunity for countless people to help guide us as we guide them in our walks with Christ.

Likewise, when our pastor delivers a sermon, it’s the fruit of hours and hours of Bible study and prayer. It is a sermon specifically honed to meet the needs of the people in our congregation. As a member of the church family, often you will find the Spirit of God using His Word to address your unique needs. We hear all the time, "That sermon felt like I was the only one in the room." This is God using His Word to bless, guide and strengthen His people.

Moreover, church transcends a sermon or building or program—it’s a fellowship, a community of God’s people. When you've attended here for awhile, we recommend that you don’t just rush in and rush out. Come a few minutes early and plan on staying a few minutes afterwards. Spend time getting to know other people. If you don’t know what do say, find a friendly looking person (aren't we all!) and ask them questions—Grace is a loving family and we’re confident that whoever hears your questions would love to answer them as best they can!

Hopefully, over time you will also see that going to church is more than just showing up on Sunday mornings. There are all kinds of reasons to come to church but the highest reason is to offer the Lord worship and then to let His Spirit work on your heart. It’s about getting ready to have your life changed by God. When you come to church, have a prayerful attitude that says, “Lord, I need You and I need to be changed to be more like You. Help me today to be the person You want me to be.” Then as you come to church, be ready to meet God. As He guides you to understand what His Word says, He will also strengthen you to obey it.

Speaking of growing in your relationship with the Lord, one of the best tools to help you in your walk is to attend our Adult Sunday School. The topics we cover range from a study on marriage, to discipleship, to studying a book of the Bible. If you're just coming out and a module is already in session, you're welcome to jump on in, you don't have to wait until the next session starts. Likewise, if a topic is not being taught right now, stay tuned because we may teach it in another module in the near future. Let us know if there is something you're interested in.

Another important aspect to growing in Christ is developing strong relationships with other Christians. The best way to develop these bonds is through our Small Group ministry. Our Small Group ministry offers all kinds of groups that meet throughout the week, often in the personal intimacy of members' homes. These groups meet for prayer, study and fellowship. Study topics range from marriage and family issues, to various discipleship topic. Perhaps the most focus is simply studying through a book of the Bible. If you’re not sure that you’re ready for one of these home groups, we also offer our Essentials class in the spring which meets at the church for five-weeks to study the foundational aspects of walking with Christ. The Essentials course will give you a sense of how a small group operates. Likewise, our Dinner for Eight fellowships also are like Small Groups, but without the study and long-term commitment. Dinner for Eights are when four couples (or eight people) agree to meet four times for dinner together. Of course, participation is completely voluntary and signups usually take place early in the Spring.

Finally, joining a community of Christians is also about being involved in the work of Christ. When God plucked you from the world, it was for more than just to give you peace about going to heaven. It was to give you a place in the plan of God for this greater community—God wants to involve you in the work He is doing! If you need help sorting out your role in God’s kingdom, listen for guidance in the sermons and also ask our pastors. They’d love to steer you in the right direction. Check out our Getting Plugged In page for more information about service opportunities at Grace.

11. WHY DON'T YOUR LEADERS WEAR BLACK ROBES OR COLLARS?

Long ago churches were led by institutions that, with good intentions, wanted to protect God’s truth and make sure that it was clear to everyone that there was a significant difference between a pastor and the average person in the church. Thus, the pastor wore clothes that highlighted those differences and enabled people to readily identify him as a member of the clergy. Unfortunately, many times this tended to produce Christians who sat back and watched the clergy do the ministry. Yet we're all called to do the work of the ministry (Ephesians 4:11-12 and 1st Peter 2:9). Pastors are just called to help coordinate the effort!

At Grace we don’t want to emphasize the distinction between trained pastors and folks in the congregation. Our pastors are simply followers of Christ called by God to lead this particular group of people. They may be trained in the original languages, they may have studied deeply in seminary, they may be gifted to understand and apply God’s Word, but ultimately they are just "regular joes" who have homes and families and the same basic encounters in life that you have. Their authority doesn't come from an institution, it only comes from rightly teaching God’s Word. Consequently, they don't want to wear clothes or robes that might emphasize an incorrect distinction between pastors and the congregation.