Grace Church Miami launched on Sunday evening with 182 people filling up the pews at their Miami Shores location.
“Tonight was super encouraging,” wrote Eric Bancroft, pastor of Grace, on Instagram. “We were able to connect well with many people.”
Providence Road Church, Grace’s sending church, led worship and Bancroft preached a Gospel message out of John 6. James Peoples, North American Mission Board Send City missionary, called it a “great, encouraging message.”
“There were groups from Grace’s partner churches but there were also people from the community,” said Peoples. He spoke with one lady who found out about the launch while walking her dog. “She went back home, changed and came to the service.” Another lady, he said, found out about the launch during an open house. “There’s a lot of excitement in the community about the church opening.” A group of about 20 of Bancroft’s cross-fit friends also came to the launch service. “They are not churched and he invited them to the service and they came,” said Jose Abella, pastor of Providence Road.
The number of people who came to the launch was unexpected. So much so that some had to park off the property and more sitting room had to be made available within the sanctuary.
Abella is excited about the church plant launch. “It was exciting for us now having planted our second church…We are figuring out how to do church planting better each time…It was sweet to see the core team work so hard to see this through.”
Providence Road is committed to serving at Grace Church on a rotation basis to help as the plant takes off. “We want to plant a church not a planter, when you plant a planter you just put all the onus on the planter but when you plant a church the whole sending church is involved,” said Abella.
“I’m very excited about the church being in that community,” said Peoples. “There are other churches in that area that are doing a really good job too but there are so many people that another church was needed.”
“Thank you to all those who prayed,” wrote Bancroft. “God heard and answered for His glory. Please don’t stop praying.”
To find out more about Grace Church Miami visit gracechurch.miami.
By Keila Diaz, Florida Baptist Convention, January 15, 2018