Our Story & Vision

Grace Gathering started as a daughter church in 1959 by a local church from Fort Wayne, Indiana. Over the course of the first 10-12 years Grace had 2 different pastors. In 1972 Gordon Smith became the teaching pastor. In the early 80's the church transitioned into a non-denominational church in both practice and doctrine. Gordon brought about several internal changes that created overall health to the church body.

By the early 90's, with the church about a hundred people, the leadership desired a greater impact in reaching more people for Christ. In 1995 the church hired Chris Norman to help give leadership to the church and to be mentored by Gordon Smith. Through their leadership together along with others, God developed a deeper passion and zeal for outreach, and over the course of the following years the church saw consistent growth through new conversions to Christ and transformed lives. By the late 90's Grace was growing out of its facility and went to multiple services. Foreseeing continued growth, and being landlocked on four acres, the church began to look for other property. In 2000 Grace purchased 83 acres of land debt free. For a church of a few hundred it was an incredible miracle of God!

In 2002 the church outgrew its existing building and began meeting at New Haven High School. Over the next couple of years Grace drew up plans for a unique church facility focused on relationship building. In October of 2004 Grace launched a three-year spiritual and financial campaign to fund the new church building. Through the faith and sacrifice of 160 families in the church, and others who later came on board, God provided the finances needed to begin construction. It was another amazing miracle of God!

The first Sunday in the new facility was in June of 2006. The church was overwhelmed and humbled by God's provision. Since then, Grace has grown significantly both spiritually and numerically and is still humbled by God's provision.

Because of the numerical growth, the leadership at Grace began to research different models of ministry to help connect people, to release people outside the four walls, to empower people to be the church, and to help them fulfill Jesus' mission in relationship and community.   In the fall of 2007 Grace commissioned about 50 families to pilot a new  approach to ministry (mission churches) for six months to mobilize smaller communities all over Greater Fort Wayne.  After 100% support from all those families at the conclusion of the pilot, Grace decided to take the exciting journey to commission the entire church in this direction, and in the Spring of 2008 launched its first set of mission communities and house churches.  Today Grace is still learning a great deal with regard to this centralized and decentralized hybrid philsophy of ministry, but God's Spirit is leading every step of the way.