Show hospitality to one another without grumbling. As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God's varied grace.
1 Peter 4:9-10
What is varied grace?
A clear vision of focus for the next 5 years that helps Grace Church, by God’s grace, hospitably and faithfully steward what God has given us.
Our pastors believe our church is being called to enter a time of stewardship in order to faithfully step into sending and church planting in the future. How we prepare, give, save, and build now will affect our ability to respond later.
To become stewards of God’s varied grace to our church means we must: 1) Identify our unique calling and opportunities for the kingdom as a unique church; and 2) take steps that will help us continue to follow God faithfully into that identity and mature in stewarding that identity.
What has God given us to steward?
What makes Grace Church unique in God’s mission? What has he given us that we can look to faithfully steward with intentionality in the next 3-5 years? Here are some examples:
A healthy, growing church and unique culture of convictional intentionality and devotional/relational warmth.
A focus on robust and accessible theological equipping.
A church planting church and calling to see more gospel-centered churches planted or revitalized in the greater Waco area.
A church committed to training and sending, especially in unreached areas of the world.
A strong long-term home on Bosque.
A new expansion to our property at 4621 Colonial.
A healthy local network of sister churches.
A congregation of generous and mature believers.
A church growing both in size and maturity, particularly in children and youth.
A unique culture of convictional intentionality and devotional/relational warmth.
How do we steward this moment?
The strategy of Varied Grace can be summarized in three commitments:
STRUCTURAL
We commit to the growing stewardship of our physical property and resources.
CULTURAL
We commit to the renewed cultivation of our unique culture and spiritual vibrancy, particularly to the next generation (Kids/Youth/College).
MISSIONS
We commit to preparing for more fruit in our unique missional callings of church planting/revitalization and sending long-term missions workers.
Our 3 Comittments
Represent the three primary ways we plan to fulfill our commitments. By focusing extra time, leadership, thoughtfulness, prayer and resources into these ministry areas and strategies, our pastors believe we will be better equipped for future faithfulness.
STRUCTURAL
Complete renovation of property at 4621 Colonial into Newton House, a unique space for hospitality, prayer, fellowship, celebration, conversation, and discipleship (see more info below).
Outdoor play space for kids.
Partial renovation of current building including kids spaces, new nursing mother/cry room, expanded kitchen/prep area, and any other needs. See plans here.
Developed plan for greater facility stewardship/upkeep of physical property, including more deacon-level leadership.
Financial Goal: around $330k
CULTURAL
A clear leadership development pipeline for youth and college leaders at deacon or pastoral level.
An improved pathway for transitioning children to youth ministry.
Hiring a ministry administrator
Salary for youth/college staffing
Ongoing pastoral education (PhD)
Help launch new biblical counseling ministry with Grace Network
Accelerate launch of new vocational full-time training program for church planters and revitalizers
Revamping of our training programs, including our ministry residency, pastoral residency, and a summer internship.
Continued commitment to Grace Institute.
Financial Goal: around $170k
MissionS
Development of international missions strategy to prioritize long-term workers church-planting amongst unreached and underserved areas.
Support the training and launch of 1-2 new long term missions workers/international church planters.
More and better structured leadership in international missions, including development of missions team and deacons/pastors overseeing.
Greater consistency and commitment to missionary care and serving our current missionaries (visits, training, short term work).
Church planting fund, to be used for new church plant or revitalization.
Financial Goal: around $100k
Get involved!
Pray
The primary way to get involved is through consistent and regular prayer. Throughout the Spring and Summer of 2026, we will offer several opportunities to gather and pray for God’s provision.
Serve
We will also offer plenty of opportunites to get your hands dirty and help with building rennovations. For this strategic plan to succeed, we will need everyone taking part—not just in work days but in stepping up to serve in all areas of ministry and being ready to step into leadership or stewardship when called upon. If you have a special skill in construction, or a passion for ministry you would like us to know about, please fill out the form!
GIVE
Over and above normal giving, our goal is to raise $600,000 in the next 16 months (May 2026 — Sept 2027). This funding will primarily go to our structural commitments, but will also be used as necessary to further our other ministry focuses.
Financial Goal:
$600,000 by September 2027.
$330k to Structural Goals
170k to Cultural Goals
100k to Missions Goals
Our primary goal is that every member gives and participates prayerfully and sacrificially. Spread the word if you know someone outside the church who would be interested in taking part in God’s kingdom in this way.
You can give through one time gifts, or through a monthly giving pledge.
Please fill out Monthly Pledge forms by sunday, May 17.
Use the link below to give or to pledge giving. We also have giving pledge cards available in the lobby.
Fundraising and Building Timeline
We will fulfill our structural commitments in several phases, to begin when enough financial support is pledged or given.
Phase 1: Transition from 4610 Bosque to Newton House, kids outdoor play area, Newton House demo work
Phase 2: Newton House renovation
Phase 3: New nursing mothers room, expanded 4610 Bosque kitchen/prep area, updated kids classrooms, other needs at 4610 Bosque
Longterm Goals
Each year of our vision we will focus on one large strategic goal, plus ongoing ministry.
Other Metrics
What does success look like? At the end of five years, only by God’s grace, we also desire to:
Be in a stable financial and institutional situation and ready for healthy sending in church planting and missions.
See our current church plants flourishing, more financially stable, and closer to multiplication.
Have a fully viable discipleship plan for both children and youth, including part time or full time staff devoted to both ministry areas.
Have clear options should our worship space show limitation or strain (such as more immediate church planting, expansion, etc).
Key Dates
May 17 | Pledge Forms Due
May 3 | Members Meeting/Update
June 13 | Prayer/Work Day
July 25 | Prayer/Work Day
September 2027 | Giving campaign ends
Special Focus:
Newton House
In November 2025, Grace Church purchased the property at 4621 Colonial Ave, directly behind the current church building. This provides our congregation with over 2,300 sq. ft of usable space, which we plan to slowly renovate as funding is available. The biggest project of Varied Grace will be the renovation of 4621 Colonial into a new hospitality space called Newton House.
John Newton was a man who understood the grace of God and his own need for it. As a pastor, he was also deeply committed to his flock. His own house at Olney was a place of refuge and hospitality for sinners and sufferers, and also a place of creativity and contemplation. For many years, the poet William Cowper lived with Newton and they composed nearly 350 hymns, all while Cowper suffered from unspeakable depression. Naming this property Newton House reminds us of the beauty of friendship, the power of hospitality, and the warmth and creativity that can flow out for the church from a safe place to seek God.
Plans provided by Byrom Design Services. Click image to expand.
What would Newton House be used for?
The Next Generation
Our aim would be to create a large, inviting space where youth, college or other age groups could feel honored, comfortable, able to connect with peers and leaders, and challenged to think big thoughts about God and following Christ. There may also be room for ping-pong in the garage, and a big deck and grassy area for outdoor activity for kids.
Equipping
With more available classrooms, we would be able to offer more, smaller and intimate equipping classes, and free up space in the main building for Grace Kids and our staff offices. We would also hope the space would be perfect for college students to come and study, or for members to meet for discipleship or fellowship, and to host lectures, concerts, or equipping nights in a warm, engaging atmosphere. This atmosphere would also be conducive to evangelism, especially for graduate and international students.
Hospitality
The main living space would be able to sit around 40, perfect for small dinners, welcome events, celebrations, or for CG’s and members to have a third space for events or celebrations. The outdoor space would provide a place for kids to play and church family to share meals. By having this dedicated hospitality space, Grace Kids would be able to make more use of the equipping room for children’s worship or a larger classroom.
Prayer and Counseling
We want to encourage a life of prayer in our church, and this new space would be a perfect place for hosting weekly or daily prayer. Some of the space could be dedicated during the week as “quiet space” for members to use for prayer and meditation, and for counseling meetings. A quiet and reflective library will be a great place for personal devotion, study, or reading.
Frequent Questions
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We believe this number is a generous but accurate description of our need, as well as viable based on previous generosity of our church and our giving units. We also received feedback on viability from an outside church generosity consultant and experienced church leaders.
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Our regular giving provides for the church’s ongoing worship and ministry in the city and world. But in seasons of growth or opportunity, it is sometimes wise to take steps towards increased responsibility and stewardship that requires more sacrificial giving. A scriptural example would be the church in early Acts who gives with extra sacrifice as the church is just being born. This is the first time we have a launched a special campaign like this since moving into our building in 2015.
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Church planting is in our DNA. This won’t change. This plan will help future sending, not hinder it. Our elders believe we need a season of investing and patient formation before we plant again.
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The elders have appointed a building team. Two of our elders are part of the team, as well as four other members with experience in construction, building design, and project management. The team has already been meeting every few weeks and will continue to do so. Serious renovations will only begin once sufficient funds are raised or pledged.
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If at the end of the fundraising period we have not hit our goal, the elders will re-evaluate to make sure we have allotted funds correctly that we have received, and decide whether to extend the fundraising window or let it expire. We will celebrate God’s provision regardless of it meets our expectations — he is good!
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We know your generosity! It’s hard to predict, but it is possible by God’s grace we raise more than our stated goal. If that is the case, we will inform you of any new plans, but they will prioritize funding missions and future church planting, or paying off building loans.