YOUR FIRST VISIT
“Why?” you wonder, would a local church of Christ, with a sixty-year history and association within the Restoration Movement, call itself, “The Grace Place?” You may be confused if your history and associations have been primarily within the Fellowship/Denomination of churches of Christ. If you are unfamiliar with churches of Christ, you may wonder why we carry two names. Let me explain: We maintain our two century affiliation with American churches of Christ, and we hold to many of the orthodox and traditional practices that have been Restoration trademarks, such as freedom and unity. However, where many congregations have slipped into sectarianism or legalism or denominationalism, we have persistently and intentionally pursued a more open and flexible path; one characterized by grace, acceptance, and generosity. Though this purposefully grace-centered course aggravates some traditionalists within our “Brotherhood,” we have simply exercised our independent rights and privileges, extended graciously by the Holy Spirit in His scriptures, to function at this place and time in a way that is faithful to God while meeting the real needs of contemporary folks like you. We are more concerned with Spiritual transformation than rite, ritual, or routine.
All this means you will receive a warm, friendly, non-judgmental welcome when you meet us, whether it is at one of our Sunday assemblies, or a weeknight Bible Study, or a simple gathering of believers who meet in a home or a public space for fellowship and devotion. Whichever portal you enter, you will experience a similar attitude from folks associated with The Grace Place. We are going to accept you as you are and try to treat you with the kindness and respect that God has extended to us in Jesus Christ. You don’t have to be perfect, have it all together, or even be okay to enter our doors and lives. You’re welcome right now! We will work together on our mutual problems in the years ahead.
Keep in mind that with this open mind and these open doors, the Duncanville church of Christ has shed any pretense of human respectability or superiority. We are only good because God is good and has been good to us. Your first visit will most likely find you surprised by the organic nature of our church. We’re simply your neighbors, with all our gifts and faults, who gather in the name of Jesus to serve Him, one another, and the community, and thus, we are everything but sterile.
You will quickly notice we’re an unusually diverse group. We are Black, Brown, and White. We are old and young – with five generations worshiping and serving together. We are modern, post-modern, and I expect, even pre-modern. We are city folks and country folks, professionals in suits and ties, and retirees in Hawaiian shirts and flip flops. We have teenagers in jeans and tee-shirts, and Baby Boomers decked out in the latest fashions. We don’t judge one another by what we wear. Whatever you’re wearing, it’s okay. Relax and enjoy your time spent with God and us. We believe God looks at the heart and not the threads!
We don’t have assigned seating; in fact, we don’t have any kind of social hierarchy. We are all just folks united in our common faith in Jesus. You will note we don’t practice a clergy/laity system. Unlike many churches, we don’t operate by one Pastor Rule. We believe the Bible calls for a Multiple Pastor (or “Shepherd,” as we prefer) arrangement with the preacher and other Ministry Team members in mutual submission to the Shepherds and one another. Our preacher is not our Pastor, though he often serves in the function of Shepherd, caring for and watching over the flock.
You will not see official folks in robes or collars. We believe in the long-standing Protestant doctrine of “The Priesthood of all Believers.” And for us, that practically means that in the Public Assembly and our Small Groups, everyone is of equal value and position. If your first visit with us is at a Sunday Assembly, you will note that regular men from the congregation participate in the worship by leading prayers, songs, and devotional thoughts. Unlike some denominations, we have maintained the principle of male spiritual leadership in the Public Assembly. This, by no means, discounts the role of women in the general function of the church. If you talk to any woman in the congregation, you will most likely hear a positive response regarding the roles of men and women in and out of the assembly. Ladies of the church are particularly active in Small Groups, Bible studies, community ministries, generosity events, and many of our multi-cultural activities. There is a good chance your first visit to our Sunday Assembly is due to the kind invitation of one of our ladies.
It is also worth noting that we are also multi-political and multi-personality. At the Grace Place, we believe different is good, and we work hard to respect and appreciate one another. Often times this translates into acts of love that express themselves in ways that encourage you “to grow in the grace and knowledge of Jesus” – the goal of every Christian.
Though we are not defined by the characteristics of our Sunday morning Assembly, it remains an important function of our church body, and there is a distinct possibility that your first meaningful contact with us is in this venue.
Our assemblies are truly public. Everyone is invited. We are unapologetically Christian, and so the primary purpose in gathering together is to praise God for the love shown us in His Son Jesus Christ. As Psalm 100 exhorts us, we assemble with joy and thanksgiving in the Holy Spirit. We believe worship is more about the condition of one’s heart than the mechanical routines of liturgy or tradition.
We do, however, follow a basic structure that finds its authority in a scriptural model. We are not, however, rigid in how we execute our beliefs. This means that no two assemblies are exactly alike. If you are not totally satisfied on your first encounter, please come back again soon, because the next assembly may be more suited to your tastes or personality. Somewhere within the one hour to one hour and fifteen minute worship time, we will sing from our hearts with the fruit of our lips honoring God and encouraging and exhorting each other (we follow the Early Church’s pattern of no instrumental accompaniment). We will pray. We will give back to God a portion of that with which He has blessed us materially. As a guest, you are not expected to contribute. This is family business. However, if you would like to contribute to the work of the Lord at this place, please do as you feel obliged. We support a full-time preacher who will deliver a message from God’s word that is customized for our place and time. Again, because of the diverse nature of our local church, the sermon in both content and style will change from week to week. Hopefully, God’s Word will speak to your heart.
Most importantly, we will partake in the Lord’s Supper as a symbolic way of remembering the death of our Lord Jesus, while proclaiming the joy of His resurrection and imminent return to usher us into our eternal home. It is here at the Table, hosted by Jesus, that we unite as one body and glorify God together. Every believer is encouraged to partake.
Before the sermon, Ron will host the children on the stage for a few moments before dismissing them to “Children’s Church,” where they will be taught a lesson by experienced teachers at a level that helps them better understand the lesson.
Please note you will need to register your child at the electronic check-in for Bible Class (9:45 for adults and children of every age) and Children’s Church. Connie Davis, our Children’s Minister, will be close by to help.
Nearly every Sunday, we host a lunch in our Fellowship Center specifically designed for those who are visiting the assembly. Please stay and eat with us – no strings attached, no kitchen duties. It’s just one of our ways to make you feel at home and get to know you better.
We won’t hound you with calls and letters in the weeks following your first visit. You will most likely get a call from one of the Ministry Team or Shepherds to see if we can serve you in any way. We won’t be obtrusive, but we want to make sure we treat you right. Please let us know if we can help in any way. The phone numbers and e-mail addresses of our Shepherds and Ministers are on page two of our giant weekly bulletin.
In an effort to communicate our many activities and ministries, we publish what may be the best weekly church bulletin in the world! Please take it home with you and use the calendar and other information.
Please note that every person listed in the bulletin is easily accessible. No one hides behind secretaries, closed doors, or crammed schedules. We’re a church for Jesus, but of the people!
We are basically an independent community church, primarily evangelical by nature and design, which is conservative in doctrine and progressive in social issues, consistently displaying a heart for “the least of these.” Odds are that on your fist contact with us, we will be preparing for another outreach event designed to serve the community with the love of Jesus.