Discover Grace
An invitation to learn more about us and get connected to our church family
Welcome
We’re excited to tell you more about our church family and explain how you can get involved in what happens here. If you’d prefer to connect in person, Discovering Grace classes are available a few times each year. Ready to visit us on a Sunday morning? Take a minute to watch an introduction from our Senior Pastor below, then read on for more details about who we are and what you can expect.
Next In-Person Class:
Sunday, December 1
- 10:45 am – 12:00 pm
-
Discovering GraceGrace Church - 5214 Stone Lake Dr, Wichita Falls, TX 76310
Our Story
Six couples participating in a home Bible study decided to form a new local church on March 31, 1963. This represented a mutual commitment to meet together weekly for worship, teach the truth of God’s Word, minister to those in need, and stand firm for the fundamentals of the Christian faith.
Over the years, we gathered in the downtown and Colonial Park areas before eventually settling at our current home in the Stone Lake neighborhood. Those founding families built their love for people and love for the Scriptures into the generations that followed, and God is still writing the story of Grace Church. We invite you to be part of the next chapter.
Read on for more information about the unique church culture that eventually grew out of our diverse spiritual heritage, shared experiences together, and unity in love for the Lord.
Cultural Distinctives
Beliefs
Our primary belief is that Jesus Christ is the unique son of God, Who died for our sins and physically rose from the grave three days later. All who trust Him as their personal Savior are redeemed and therefore members of the worldwide body of Christ. We affirm that this is a gift received exclusively through faith and that it is offered to all people, with no works required receive or maintain it. We also believe that the Bible specifically teaches a broad range of additional doctrine, as well, although we recognize that sincere and intelligent Christians hold differing views on some of these matters.
Mission
Our mission, based upon our understanding of the role of the local church, is to develop maturing followers of Jesus Christ. Our deepest desire is that each person in Grace Church will develop a loving relationship with Jesus Christ and extend that love in service to others. Our commitment is to walk alongside you in this process by offering life-related Bible teaching and embodying grace in all we do.
Leadership
Jesus Christ is the head of the church, and under His leadership our local church is governed by a group of elders who are called to oversee our spiritual family. New elders are periodically presented to the church after an extensive process which includes an examination their maturity and knowledge of the Word. Our staff members carry out specific roles in the daily operations of the church under the general oversight of the elders.
Membership
We believe the global church consists of all who put their faith in Jesus Christ, and no local church can confer or withdraw this spiritual membership. In light of this, we have adopted the policy of having no formal membership procedures at Grace Church. Instead, we welcome anyone who has trusted Jesus Christ as Savior and wishes to “join” us to do so through regular participation. We are convinced that active involvement in the life of a local church is vitally important for every believer and encourage you to make this a personal priority.
Giving
Financial giving is a form of worship — it should be done joyously, freely, generously, and without internal or external compulsion. We believe that all should give as they are able without judgment, so we take no formal offerings during our services. Instead, we provide offering boxes at various locations to receive gifts by cash or check and also offer the ability to give online. Please note that if you choose to take advantage of this convenient option, the church pays a credit card processing fee on the amount of your gift. A checkbox is provided in our Giving interface which will allow you to increase your gift to cover this additional amount.
Visiting Grace Church
If you’re ready to check things out on a Sunday morning, just come in the main covered entrance (it’s at the back of the building, marked “W”) and turn right to enter the Auditorium. If you’d like to explore other options or have questions, stop by the Welcome Center or ask anyone you see wearing a lanyard.
Our recommendation is that you take a few weeks to “breathe the air” and get a feel for how we do things. Whether you simply find a place to rest for a while or end up calling us your church home, you’ll always get to set the pace of how you proceed.
Most people begin their visit by trying out a worship service. Some also visit a Bible Fellowship class between services during the Connecting Hour. Read on for more information about both options.
Sunday Morning Options
Worship
We offer two Sunday morning worship services on most weeks, both featuring the same mix of Bible teaching, prayer, and music. You’ll be invited to sing songs of various styles and open your Bible (available for free if you need one) during the sermon as we explore the truth of God’s Word. Most choose to dress casually, but you’ll find folks wearing everything from shorts to suits. Families with children should begin the worship hour together in the auditorium, where kids remain until the teaching portion begins — see what else is available for kids!
Connect
Bible Fellowships meet at either 9:15 or 10:45 AM on Sunday mornings, opposite your preferred worship service, and are designed for you to begin forming relationships with other people in the church while studying Scripture. A variety of classes, mostly based on age, are available throughout the campus at the times listed here.
Next Steps
Once you’ve joined us in a worship service and decided we might be a good fit, there are many other ways for you to get involved and take your next steps into the life of our church family.
When you’re ready, our Connections Pastor is here to meet you and help explore how these options can fit into your schedule. Send us a message to get started!
Are you ready to get connected?
Meet the Team
Our staff are happy to answer any questions you may have about Grace Church, explore what opportunities are available, and guide you toward getting connected.
Caleb Carmichael
Connections Pastor
Caleb joined the Grace Church staff in July of 2020 with the desire to walk alongside people as they explore what it means to follow Jesus and to help them find real community within the church. He received his BBA from Midwestern State University in 2012 and his MACE from Southwestern Baptist School of Theology in 2014.
Caleb and his wife Samantha have been married since 2013 and have two children, Grayson and Henley. Caleb loves spending time with his family, discovering new places to eat, and watching, playing, and arguing about sports.