We have been members of Grace Community Church since we moved to North Carolina from Maryland in 1988.
We meet on campus at N.C. State on Sunday Mornings at 10:30am.
Grace is affiliated with the Great Commission Association of Churches and Ministries (GCAC/GCM).
The Great Commission Association (GCA) is an association of evangelical Christian churches in the United States, Canada, Latin America, Europe, and Asia. Beginning in 1970, the movement originated with a group of Christians at Southern Colorado University who set out to preach the Gospel and so fulfill the Great Commission:
“Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” (Matthew 28:19,20)
From Colorado, they reached out to other campuses across the country, so that there were 15 loosely affiliated student fellowships by 1973.
The goal of those few men, and of the men and women who eventually chose to minister with them, was “to reach the world” with the Gospel of Jesus Christ in their generation and in doing so, glorify Him. The founders had been involved with the Plymouth Brethren assemblies and Campus Crusade for Christ. The Navigators and Operation Mobilization also influenced the ministry in its early years.
As the name of our association suggests, it is and has been our constant goal and desire to help fulfill the Great Commission. Consequently, the churches in the Association have always been characterized by a strong commitment to evangelism.
In the 1970’s, the Association was a loose fellowship of campus churches. In the 1980’s, Great Commission International (GCI) was started as a formal organization providing direction for church planting and accountability to the churches. Also during the 1980’s, churches were started in U.S. communities as well as overseas. In 1989, GCI became Great Commission Association of Churches (GCAC). Each church in the association is self-governing but accountable to GCAC on doctrine, ministry, and ethics.
Also in 1989, Great Commission Ministries (GCM) was formed to help mobilize missionary workers for campus and international ministry.
Currently, the association of churches has expanded to 21 countries with church or church-based ministries in over 180 locations. Today GCA is comprised of U.S. community churches, U.S. campus churches and ministries, high school ministries, ministries to international students studying in the U.S., and churches overseas.
God has used this association to see thousands of people come to know Christ, grow in their love for Him, and go on to faithfully serve Him. That will continue to be our focus as we continue to work to fulfill His commission to go and make disciples of all nations
