Grace is a family-friendly church comprised of a diverse group of people coming from a number of west side communities of Cleveland such as Westlake, Fairview Park, Lakewood, Elyria, Brooklyn, Rocky River, North Olmsted, North Ridgeville, Avon, Avon Lake, and others. From the very beginning of our church’s relationship with you, we want you to know our intentions: your joy! The purpose of our church is to make disciples who Know Greater Joy! That means, regardless of where you are on your spiritual journey, we are interested in helping you take the next step in finding greater joy in Jesus Christ.
Welcome to Grace
We don’t care what color you are, what denominational background you have or even other religious labels you might wear. We don’t care what you dress like, or whether you vote Republican or Democrat. We care about you, because God cares about you. We are a church full of people who don’t have it all figured out; but through a growing relationship with God and deepening relationships with one another, we are walking this life’s journey…together. Our intention is that when you visit, you will immediately feel welcome. We want you to build long-lasting friendships with others who also desire to take the next step in their spiritual journey. Through a personal relationship with Jesus Christ and through His Word, the Bible, we are striving to do just that.
Our Core Values, Purpose, Vision and Leadership
Our Core Values
G: GOD’S WORD – WE WILL ALWAYS BE ROOTED IN TRUTH
God’s Word is the foundation on which all we are and do rests. The Bible is our final authority of faith and practice. We believe it contains the answers for this life and the life to come. It is our desire to preach and teach from the Word of God; as well as use it as the primary resource of all our ministries. We believe the Holy Spirit uses His Word to change us; and that it is an on-going, needed process in each of our lives.
R: RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD – WE WILL BE JESUS-CENTERED
Jesus Christ and Jesus Christ alone is the only way to a right relationship with God, and worthy of all praise & honor. It is our greatest desire that all who attend Grace will have the opportunity to grow in their relationship with God through Jesus Christ. It begins with salvation and grows through discipleship. It includes learning to be intimate with God through Bible study and learning to apply God’s Word to everyday life. A key factor in this growing relationship is engagement in regular spiritual disciplines.
A: AUTHENTIC WORSHIP – WE WILL ALWAYS BE IN AWE OF GOD
We are called to lives caught up in the worship of our Creator God, and will see his beauty in all we do. We believe it is crucial to sincerely exalt God in our personal lives and corporate gatherings. We believe worship happens twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week, as we seek to honor God in our lives. Corporately, we desire to lift up the glory of God through our prayers, testimonies, giving, teaching and singing. To be real before God is our humble, heart’s desire.
C: CONNECTION TO OTHERS – WE WILL BE BOUND TOGETHER
The Holy Spirit has bound believers together and we will live out that community. Pursuing community among those who attend Grace, we learn to encourage, exhort, serve and forgive each other, based on what Jesus has done for us. We believe, through corporate worship and smaller group interaction, God has designed us to walk this spiritual journey together. We believe God has gifted each person to serve Him in the local church with his/her unique personality, servant spirit and special abilities.
E: EVERYONE MATTERS – WE WILL BE GOSPEL-ORIENTED
We have been called to take the gospel to the ends of the Earth, and we will begin with our own communities. We believe that every person is created in the image of God; and is, therefore, important to Him. Regardless of personality, nationality, denomination, background or struggles, we desire to help everyone connect with God and grow in an intimate relationship with Him. We believe evangelism best takes place as each individual reaches out in demonstration of God’s love to those in their sphere of influence. We believe, as people come, that we are responsible to welcome them in the love of Jesus Christ.
Our Purpose and Vision
Our Purpose: Grace Baptist Church exists to make disciples who Know Greater Joy! Jesus Christ, in teaching his disciples about “the vine and the branches” and his great love for them, expresses his desire for them – that his joy would be in them and that their joy would be full (John 15:1-17). We want for each other what Jesus wants for his disciples – joy to the fullest; and we are saddened when his disciples settle for less.
Our Vision: We are convinced that there is “no greater joy” for every disciple of Jesus than when they are 24/7 Worshippers, Alongsiders, and GO People…each disciple will Know Greater Joy when they are living as these three personas. What do we mean by these?
24/7 Worshipper
A disciple who doesn’t wait for Sunday, but rather engages in the worship & enjoyment of God every day of the week in their own spiritual disciplines.
Alongsider
A disciple who is intentionally coming alongside another disciple with the expressed purpose of spiritual growth.
GO Person
A disciple who is intentionally developing relationships in order to teach the gospel with the aim to persuade.
Pastor Steve has been at Grace since August, 1999 when he first served as youth pastor and then transitioned into his current role as Lead Pastor in September, 2012. He and his wife, Sarah, have been married since 1999 and have four children; Jared, Collin, Jacob, & Katie. Pastor Steve graduated from Cedarville University with a pre seminary degree, and then completed his MDiv from Baptist Bible Seminary in 2019.
Pastor Ryan has served on staff at Grace since January 2020 after years in the construction and food service industries. He first served at Grace in the Timothy Position learning doctrine and gaining experience with ministry in both part-time and full-time roles, earning his Bachelor’s Degree from Moody Bible Institute. Starting in July 2022, he answered the call to serve as the Associate Pastor, overseeing the Grace Kids (Nursery through 6th grade), Grace Students (7th through 12th grades), and Outreach ministries. He also serves with and helps lead our Worship Team. Ryan and his wife Katie were married in June 2010 and currently live in Fairview Park with their five sons: Isaac, Adam, Caleb, Daniel, and Joshua.
Sarah is married to our Lead Pastor, Steve Strong and began serving as our Office Administrator in 2010. Outside of the office, Sarah enjoys baking and gardening, as well as loving on her four kids (Jared, Collin, Jacob & Kathryn) and her fur-baby, Daisy (her favorite!). She graduated from Cedarville University in 1999 with a degree in Elementary Education.
