It wasn’t long ago Grace Church had only 7 adult members – including one picked to watch kids. Tom & Allyison Merritt opened up their home to Matt & Vicki Williams on June 4, 1995, because they believed Matt & Vicki were called by God to help start a church based on a simple focus: to equip believers with biblical knowledge, maturing followers of Jesus Christ in order to create impact in their community.

After Matt graduated from Dallas Theological Seminary, the Williams family felt a calling to return to their home state where both have attended Clemson University.  But it wasn’t long after the first service in Easley, SC it became clear there was a need for more room.

The journey to find the right worship location allowed God time to reveal other leaders for Grace Church and provide a body of people for those leaders to shepherd. From Ballew’s Restaurant in Powdersville, Grace moved to Greenville’s Downtown Hyatt, then to the Cleveland Street YMCA Aerobics Room, then J.L. Mann High School, and then back to the Cleveland Street YMCA (but this time using the gym).

During Grace’s stay at the YMCA gym, the former facility of Metropolitan Baptist Church was given to the church. After renovations, Grace Church held its first services on March 5, 2000 at one of the present campus locations: Pelham Road. But it was still clear there was a need for more room. The current Worship Center completed construction in the summer of 2004, and Grace its first services shortly after on September 12, 2004.

Even then, it was clear there was a need – but not necessarily for more room. Our Powdersville campus began in the winter of 2008 to bring neighbors, friends and family in the Powdersville community the same biblical knowledge being taught at Pelham Road.

Recently, Grace Church renovated a nationally registered historic building in downtown Greenville, creating the current Downtown campus. Built in 1858, the building is the original Downtown Baptist Church. And much like the physical renovations of the building, Grace Church hopes for a spiritual renovation by equipping followers of Jesus Christ to impact downtown Greenville’s unique culture.

Today Grace Church hosts and facilitates worship services and ministries at three locations – but Grace is still one church. Click here to find out more about our philosophy behind being One Church. Four Locations.

Grace Church History Videos

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Grace Church History | Part 1