Welcome to our website! At Metro Grace Community Church we are here for you! We are not just another church; we are a group of Christian believers dedicated to loving God, loving people, and making a difference in our community. We are a diverse group, made up of people from different cultural, racial, and socio-economic backgrounds, who come together as one people, through our common faith in Jesus Christ. We love people, because Christ first loved us!
Floyd Steverson
Lead Pastor
Donnatello Pittman
Youth Pastor
Our church is not a place for spectators. It is a place for team members. Whether you are young, old, or anywhere in between, we want you to be a part of our vibrant church community. Here is how you can connect, grow, and serve at this church.
Often, small groups of people are better able to interact and learn about a topic than larger groups are. For that reason, our church has a network of small groups meeting together weekly in homes throughout the area for Bible Study, Discipleship, Fellowship, Prayer, Outreach, and Service.
Our Student and Children’s Ministries are age appropriate ministries designed to minister to the unique needs of today’s children and youth. We believe it is vital to provide a strong Biblical foundation for our children from the earliest possible age throughout the developing years and unto adulthood.
Jesus told us, his disciples, to make disciples of all nations. One of the most important values of this church is our mission to our community and to the world. It begins in our own community, and spreads overseas to every nation. We provide numerous opportunities for our members to serve and to make a difference locally and around the world.
Metro Grace Community Church is thrilled to be part of the spread of God’s kingdom around the world. We are active in supporting world-wide missions efforts with our money and with our prayers. We encourage all of our people to respond to God’s call for laborers here at home and around the world. We partner with several missions organizations to provide short-term and long-term mission opportunities for our members to carry out God's work around the world.
Authentic, God-honoring worship is something we strive for. Church members with musical talents are encouraged to get involved in our music and worship ministry. These volunteers are an important part of the ministry of our church, using their talents and gifts to glorify God.
The Hospitality team at our church fills a very important role. They are responsible for making sure everyone who comes into our church, guests and members alike, feel welcomed. They are involved in directing attendees to their seats, ensuring the safety of the building during services, guiding traffic, assisting guests, answering questions, providing direction, and generally ensuring that the service can proceed problem-free. The Hospitality team is a servant-hearted group of men and women whose ministry is integral to church life.
Using media to communicate our message and spread the gospel is a privilege of this church. In an age of widespread technology, we have a stewardship to use these tools as best as possible for kingdom purposes. We also maintain an active Social Media presence for additional church communication.
Prayer cannot be overestimated. Prayer moves the hand of God. Our Church is a body of believers dependent upon prayer, and committed to God’s sovereignty. Each Sunday, a team of volunteers prays for the ministry of the Word. Throughout the week, volunteers from our Prayer team pray for our pastor and leadership team, a list of church members, any special requests, and missionary prayer needs.
We believe the Bible (both Old and New Testaments) is God’s Word, written by the hands of men but supernaturally inspired and guided by the Holy Spirit. It is free of error in its original writings and is our final authority in all areas of life.
We believe there is one true God. God has existed eternally as three distinct persons: Father, Son, and Spirit. They are three, and yet one – the Trinity:
Father: He is the creator and ruler of everything. Before the world was created, the Father planned to send his Son, Jesus, to redeem mankind. God is all-knowing, so nothing that happens surprises him; in fact, everything in human history works together to accomplish His plan for the world.
Son: Jesus is God the Son. He is the Messiah (or, Christ) that was promised to Israel. Because Jesus is God, he is eternal. He came to earth, was supernaturally conceived through the Holy Spirit, and born through Mary, who was a virgin. He lived a sinless life but was crucified according to God’s plan of redemption. Jesus defeated death (the greatest enemy) by his bodily resurrection. Hundreds of people were eyewitnesses and saw Jesus alive. After this, he ascended into Heaven, where he exists in a glorified body. Jesus now acts as our advocate and intercedes for us with God the Father.
Holy Spirit: The Holy Spirit is the third person of the Trinity. He is not just a force or a power, but the actual Spirit of God. He convicts the world of sin, leads us to right-living, and warns of impending judgment. He is a deposit in the life of every believer, guaranteeing our future inheritance – eternal life. The Spirit empowers the preaching, teaching, and understanding of the Gospel. We receive gifts from the Spirit that enable us to build up the body of believers and work towards the mission of God in our world.
We believe that mankind was created in the image of God as male and female. The first man and woman (Adam and Eve) sinned, and as a result, they would experience physical death and spiritual death – which is separation from God. Since each human being is their descendant, we are all born with a sinful nature. Our natural inclination is to sin (for example, no one had to teach us how to lie), and we sin with our thoughts, our words, and our actions. This sin has severed our relationship with God, and unless it is dealt with, will result in eternal death and separation from him. We believe that Jesus Christ died for the sins of the world. The death and wrath that Jesus experienced is what we rightly deserve because of sin, but he is our substitute. Everyone who puts their faith completely and totally in Jesus are declared, “Not Guilty,” by God because of Jesus’ sacrifice. Everyone who receives Jesus by faith experiences new life. The Bible refers to this as being “born again.” For all who do this, they become God’s children and receive eternal life.
We believe in the existence of the devil. He has several titles and names, all describing how wicked and rebellious he is: the deceiver, the accuser (the literal meaning of Satan), a liar from the beginning, and the Enemy of our souls. He seeks to destroy the lives and souls of people, just as he did in the beginning with Adam and Eve. God permits the Enemy to have a certain amount of power and influence in the world, but it is limited. One day, God will judge Satan and all his demons, along with everyone who rejects Jesus. They will suffer because God will not shrug off their unrepentant wickedness. Their punishment is too terrible for words, but the Bible says they will eternally be punished in a lake of fire.
We believe that the blessed hope of believers is the imminent return and appearance of Jesus. We long to see him, because he is our Savior. For those who belong to Jesus, they will live with God forever. For those who reject Jesus, they will be separated from God in Hell forever.
We believe in the Church, which is made up of all believers in Jesus Christ throughout the world. The Bible refers to the Church as the Body and the Bride of Christ. We belong to him. Our mission is God’s mission: to preach the Gospel of Jesus to the whole world, and announce that people can be reconciled to God. We believe in the local church, which is one expression of the larger Body of believers. Those who belong to the local church have a responsibility to make an investment there with their time, talents, spiritual gifts, special skills, resources, and money.
We believe that Baptism and the Lord’s Supper (Communion) are to be a regular and integral part of the local church. We baptize because it symbolizes the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus. We celebrate the Lord’s Supper to remember Christ’s sacrifice for us. The bread and the cup are the symbols of the new covenant, representing Jesus’ body and blood.
Love Out Loud - May 2015
A Day In The Park
Easter Sunday 2015
5th Sunday Park Ministry
Baptism Service 10/4/15
Treat Street 2015
Out of The Darkness Community Walk
Thanksgiving Fellowship 2015
5th Sunday Inner-City Ministry
Baptism - January 2016
Worship @ Cinemark USA
Trunk or Treat 2016
Christmas Service 2016 in Smith Park
Misc Mobile Uploads
Ephesians 1:5 He predestined us to be adopted through Jesus Christ for Himself, according to His favor and will. HCSB
Now, I have no doubt, that God in His foreknowledge, knew before the foundation of the earth the names of every individual who would receive His offer of salvation through faith in Christ. But my friends, God’s Word is plain – He calls us to a place of repentance, but we each must make our own free-will choice to receive or reject His offer of grace. Furthermore, this incorrect and harmful misunderstanding of predestination makes a liar out of God’s Word, which emphatically declares in Romans 10:13 “…everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”
So, what is the correct understanding of this word? Predestined simply means that God planned before the foundation of the world that all who receive salvation through faith in Jesus Christ would be adopted into God’s family as His children. Predestination is God’s eternal plan of taking lost sinners, saving them by His grace, bringing them into His family, and transforming them into the likeness of His Son.
My friend, God was at work long before you were even born to see to it that you would have an opportunity to hear the Gospel, repent of your sins, and embrace Jesus Christ for your salvation. That is indeed some very good news!
May the grace and peace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with you all!
Floyd
© 2017 Floyd Steverson
