History

BRIEF HISTORY OF GRACE BIBLE CHURCH

The inception of Grace Bible Church, Penrith, Australia, began in 1977, when Pastor Andrew Hollier (an Australian) and his wife, Jeneane, felt the call of the Lord to leave their position with Grace Bible Church, Milwaukee, Wisconsin U.S.A. and under the auspices of Grace Mission Inc. U.S.A. (now Grace Ministries International), to come to the Penrith area to begin a Church planting ministry in Australia.

Grace Bible Church is an associated Church of the Grace Gospel Fellowship which has hundreds of Churches worldwide.

The Lord’s blessing upon this outreach led to other Christians in the community being introduced to the message of Grace of this present Church Age, particularly as given to the Apostle Paul by Jesus Christ.

Subsequently in 1979 Pastor Ross Graham, the former Assistant Pastor of the Penrith Baptist Church, was led by the Lord to join the work and accepted the position of Associate Pastor and Director of Evangelism.  He has been the Senior Pastor of the work since 1981.

Miss Ann Volkart (now Rahtz) joined the ministry in March, 1980 as Evangelist to Women and Follow-Up Co-Ordinator.  Since she married, she & her husband David are serving the Lord in a counselling ministry in a new area.  Ann was a vital part of the early ministry of G.B.C.

Simply stated, Grace Bible Church has a two-fold ministry which is so clearly stated by the Apostle Paul in Ephesians 3:8, 9:

“To preach the unsearchable riches of Christ and to make plain to all the dispensation of the Mystery.”

It is the heartfelt desire of the Grace Bible Church to unitedly proclaim the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ according to the Revelation of the Mystery – Romans 16:25.  In so doing we endeavour to present a balanced message in an unbalanced world with dignity & sincerity in keeping with the Christian faith; free from fanaticism; conservative in methods; & fundamental in doctrine.  Grace Bible Church is a pre-millennial testimony, emphasising the Gospel of the Grace of God revealed from the risen Christ to & through the Apostle Paul.

Grace Bible Church is evangelistic in its thrust, Biblical in its message, dispensational in its methods; & its mission is to serve God & the world of men as we proclaim the message of Christ crucified.

Christians from all denominational backgrounds currently worship at Grace Bible Church and do so with love and acceptance of one another through the love of Christ.