In the fall of 1940, 36 people who were committed to the fundamentals of the Christian faith organized what is known today as Grace Bible Church in Nacogdoches, Texas.
“Our church is 85 years old and has a special location right in the shadow of Stephen F. Austin State University,” Brent Bullard, lead pastor. “We are a multigenerational church with a deep conviction, by the leaders and members, to maximize our land.”
ROOTED is the church’s two-year giving initiative to maximize GBC’s invaluable campus and launch GBC into the next season of ministry.
“Our prayer now as elders and leaders is that God would allow Grace Bible Church to be ROOTED even deeper in Christ, in community, and here for generations to come,” said Bullard.
Their primary goal in this initiative is 100% engagement—that every family, individual, and student would feel God’s call to a life of sacrificial stewardship.
The church recently embarked on a project that would add a much-needed addition to their sanctuary and very small lobby building. The church worked with Rodney James, founder of Master’s Plan Church Design & Construction.
The new building provides much larger gathering space (lobby), preschool space, children’s spaces, and a very large outdoor play area.
Previously, their preschool and children’s ministries were located across a city street. This project brings all the kids aged 5th grade and under to the same side of the street and into the same building as their sanctuary.
The new addition added 3,800 square feet of gathering space and 7,600 square feet of preschool and children’s space.
The existing building received significant renovation of the existing lobby and restrooms. They added several life safety improvements to the existing building, as well.
Before construction could begin on the new, two houses had to be demolished and removed from the site. The church had acquired both properties prior to the project with a vision to expand in that space.
“The project finished significantly under budget due to the favor with the city of Nacogdoches, the great group of subcontractors, and the Goodness of God’s leadership,” said James. “This will allow the church to move forward with future phases sooner.”
Bullard said, “These facilities have directly helped us already form more meaningful community, minister to more children and families, as well as launch adult discipleship classes on Sunday mornings. We are in a healthier place to facilitate gospel ministry for the next 85 years because of this project.”
Future phases of the project are to renovate the previous children’s space into student ministry and adult discipleship space and a major outdoor area for gathering, games, and fellowship.
Master’s Plan Church Design and Construction partners with churches across the nation to build the Kingdom by offering a Biblical, yet practical, approach to designing, renovating, expanding, or constructing new ministry facilities on budget and on vision, www.mpchurchdesignbuild.com.
