Why We Do What We Do: Strategic Choices at Grace Church

Every church makes decisions about ministries, events, budgets, staff, space, and more. But not every church makes decisions the same way.

At Grace Church, we're often asked why we do certain things, change service times, launch a new initiative, and invest in some areas and not others; the answer is this: our decisions flow from a clear, prayerfully discerned vision.

Our vision is: Growing a Family That Loves Jesus.

It's more than a slogan. It's the lens through which we make every strategic choice.

Our Vision Drives Our Decisions

At Grace, we don't make decisions reactively; we make them proactively, in alignment with our vision. Everything we do flows from our calling to grow a family that loves Jesus. It's the "why" behind every "what."

• Growing is about evangelism: reaching new people with the gospel. We believe Jesus has called us, like all His followers, to be ambassadors for His kingdom. Therefore, our decisions are made thinking about those who are not yet in the room. We don't just serve the people already here; we're always thinking about how to make space for those who haven't yet encountered Jesus.

• Family reflects our commitment to community. We're not building a crowd but a spiritual family where people are known, loved, and cared for. So we make decisions that help people engage, not just attend. We want people to move from anonymity into life-giving relationships.

• Loves Jesus is about discipleship. Our goal isn't just conversion; it's lifelong transformation, helping people walk closely with Jesus and grow in spiritual maturity. That means we make decisions that won't just create religious habits but will help people grow in a real relationship with Jesus. We want people to know Him, not just know about Him.

This vision helps us avoid the temptation to chase trends or make isolated tactical choices. We want to be intentional, not reactive. Focused, not scattered.

We Can't Be Everything to Everyone

One of the outcomes of this kind of clarity is the freedom to say no. We know that no single church can reach everyone in every way. Tim Keller said it well: “It takes a thousand churches to reach a city for Christ.”

That's why we've taken time as a leadership team to identify who we believe God has primarily called us to reach in this season. While everyone is always welcome, the reality is that every decision a church makes, whether in communication, style, structure, or programming, will reach some people more effectively than others.

And that's okay. The diversity of the Church is a strength, not a threat. Rather than trying to be all things to all people, we aim to be faithful to what God has uniquely called us to do.

We Stay Grounded in the Bible, But We Are Flexible in Method

Vision and strategy are important, but only if they remain grounded in truth.

That's why we place a high value on the authority of Scripture. Every decision we make must align with the Bible and bring glory to God. If something goes against what Scripture teaches, it's off the table. We're not just trying to be effective; we're trying to be faithful.

At the same time, we recognize that the method is not the same as the mission and message of Jesus. The mission of Jesus (to make disciples) never changes. But methods do, and they always have. The early Church used homes and synagogues. Later, churches used cathedrals and printing presses. Today, we use microphones, websites, social media, and livestreams. We embrace creativity when it comes to how we reach people. But we never confuse the method with the message. The gospel doesn't need upgrading; it needs communicating. And we'll use every faithful method at our disposal to do that well.

We Make Decisions with Vision, Prayer, and People in Mind

While our decisions are shaped by vision and grounded in Scripture, we want to be clear: they're not made in isolation. Our leadership team prayerfully seeks God's direction, but we also listen to feedback, questions, and conversations in the hallways, small groups, and inboxes.

We recognize that not every decision will please everyone, and we're okay with that. The goal is not to accommodate every preference but to stay aligned with the mission Jesus has called us to. As leaders, we carry the responsibility to steward the vision, not to protect everyone's comfort.

So, yes, we know that change can feel uncomfortable at times. But we never make change for the sake of change. Every shift is intentional. Every strategy is anchored in the "why."  We change methods because the mission matters, and we want to do everything we can to help more people come to know Jesus, grow in His family, and become more like Him.

If you ever have questions about the direction we're moving in or why we do something, please know we're open to conversation. 

Final Thoughts

When you see something new at Grace Church, or wonder why we've shifted in direction, know this: it's never random. We are doing our best to stay faithful to the mission God has given us: to grow a family that loves Jesus.

That's the why behind every what.

Louis Scheepers