Abundant Grace Community Church Abundant Grace launched in inner-city Dallas in July of 2007

The Abundant Grace's Story told by Pastor Bob

My life in ministry began as an area Pastor with and inner city ministry called H.I.S. BridgeBuilders. My responsibilities included serving the people who reside in the Dallas Housing Authority, with specific emphasis on the Bon Ton and Cedar Springs area. BridgeBuilders required me to do many tasks to serve the communities (building eye and dental clinics, serving meals, helping with the relocation of our new friends from Katrina, preaching, teaching, etc.) But, my passion was evangelism, Bible study, and small groups.

As God allowed me to see people turn their lives over to Christ, I began to build up Bible studies in the neighborhood (we called them encouragement teams). My desire was to find a local church that would love, care for, and build community with my encouragement teams from D.H.A. Sadly, I was unable to find a local church in the Cedar Springs area.

In 2006, my wife and I sensed that God was calling us to plant a church in the Cedar Springs area and it would be our call to love, care for, and build community with my encouragement teams. We spent the year struggling with this call. We came up with any number of excuses and reasons why the time wasn't right I wasn't prepared, my wife wasn't ready to be a "Pastor's Wife", etc.

Early in 2006 we began a mid-week service called "Power-Lunch." Power-Lunch was a time to share a meal, worship, study God's word, give testimony, etc. God began to bless this service tremendously and we found that many people who attended Power-Lunch called this service their "church."

In 2007, we surrendered to the call and opened Abundant Grace Community Church of Dallas. We currently meet in a wonderful facility that is owned by The Housing Authority. This facility includes a gymnasium, full kitchen, meeting rooms, class-rooms, etc.

The primary groups that we serve in our community are single-welfare mothers and their children. The day we opened, our first "program" was to begin an after-school program. This program feeds the kids a snack, helps them with their homework, gives them use of the gym and sports programs, and finishes the day (twice a week) with Bible study. Currently we partner with a local ministry called Team A.S.A.P., and this Ministry is under the leadership of Matt Masterton.

An interesting thing happened when we opened. The people who regularly attended Power-Lunch did not attend our Sunday service. Soon we were faced with having one church, but two separate congregations. One group met on Wednesday, and the other on Sunday. Late in 2007 God gave us a tremendous lesson. We began teaching on serving and I asked the people on Sunday to "serve" the folks on Wednesday. From this came a program we now call "Engage." The groups began to work together, study God's Word together, serve together, and have meals together. Now I am grateful to say that the strong feelings of community that each group possessed separately, they now hold for each other, and we are one body. To God be the glory!

Recently, we have experienced an increasing number of single men attending Abundant Grace. This has inspired us to begin a women's and men's group that meets during the week.

2007 has been a blessed year at Abundant Grace. Because of the increase of men, we have had to focus more on men's needs. I am pleased to say that God has blessed us with rehab for our men, housing for our men, and employment for our men.

I eagerly await to see what God has in store for us in 2008.

Stories of Life Change:

Marshall Fair: The short of it is Marshall has begun full-time work. The long of it is that Marshall came to know Jesus in 2007. We have seen Marshall go from drug addict to rehab. From rehab to living at the Salvation Army. From living at the Salvation Army to having his own apartment. From working at a temporary agency to full time work in construction. Every step of the way, Marshall has discovered another wonderful side of the love and grace that is given by Jesus.

Kelly Farmer: Kelly walked the streets as a prostitute outside the doors of Abundant Grace. My wife and I prayed for her daily before we even knew her name. Finally we were able to convince her to begin attending our mid-week service. Kelly came to know and trust Jesus as her Savior. Kelly has completed rehab, has her own apartment, works full-time at The Waffle House, and is beginning college this semester. She serves in our ministry and is continuing to grow in her faith in Jesus.

Ways to Pray:

Guidance, direction, and funding for the purchase of vehicles. Our relationships and influence with the local shelters is growing. They have expressed an interest in letting us shepherd their people spiritually, while they work on their addictions and life style choices.

More info: www.abundantgracedallas.org/
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