Declaring the whole counsel of God.

49 N. Bowlan Street . Jacksonville, FL 32211 . 904-651-3351 . Dr. Steve Hereford, Pastor-Teacher

Matthew 19:6 , “So they are no longer two, but one flesh. What therefore God has joined together, let no man separate.”

In March of 2002, sixteen people met in the home of Steve and Theresa Hereford to pray about starting a new church in Jacksonville, FL in the suburban area known as Oceanway. After three meetings together a launch date was set for April 7, 2002. Since the church began already with a full media ministry consisting of a 15 minute daily radio program on WROS AM 1050 and an Internet web site, the new church took its name from those ministries to be called “Changed By Grace Community Church.”

On our launch Sunday we met in the home of Steve and Theresa Hereford. Borrowing a living room to set up musical instruments and a dining room for chairs, our first service was complete. Pastor Steve and his son Jeremy led the new congregation in a blend of hymns and praise choruses which followed by the Lord’s Supper and a message called “Preach the Word” from 2 Timothy 4:1. Some of our first activities as a church was the honoring of all mothers on Mother’s Day. Charles Hereford made all the mother’s a beautiful cake for their enjoyment. The day concluded with a cookout and picnic at Hanna Park where we shared together in some good fellowship. This day also became our first outreach where we had one visitor to our service as well as to our cookout celebration.

As we began to structure our time together as a new church, Pastor Steve began a Tuesday night Bible study that met in other homes. The first was on the topic of evangelism called “Share Jesus Without Fear.” Every member participated in this class to refine their understanding of presenting the Gospel.  Also during this time, we broadcasted our messages on WROS AM 1050 Monday through Friday. The program was for 15 minutes and was called “Changed By Grace” and it is still aired today now as a 30 minute program on Sunday evenings at 8:30 PM on WAYR AM 550. God used this ministry to bring new people into our fellowship as well as our first new members. After two months of rearranging the living and dining room, the church decided to purchase a 12X24 prefab building and placed it on the property of Steve and Theresa Hereford. This building would serve as a place to hold our weekly worship services until another location was secured and would also serve as the future study for Pastor Steve. Over a period of nine months, the members participated in the interior construction of the building. From adding insulation, sheet rock, paneling, to installing vinyl flooring and carpet. Our new building would continue to take on form as our temporary meeting place.

In September of 2002, we baptized our first member in a swimming pool on the Hereford property. Terrence and Tamara Simmons had completed our new member’s class to become our first additions since our inception. It was also during this time that other ministries began to form: A Sunday School class for toddlers and a club called RWF which stood for “Real Working Faith” based on James 2:18. This club included weekly Bible studies, music and mission projects to the community and abroad. Some of its first projects included yard work for the elderly, house work for a shut-in, food boxes for Campus Crusade for Christ, and a project with The Voice of the Martyrs collecting blankets for persecuted Christians in Pakistan. The church participated in other forms of outreach like a homeschool art class that met weekly and a monthly craft night with the women.

In 2003, we had some members of Higher Ground Ministries visit our Tuesday night Bible Study. They had been listening to Pastor Steve’s radio ministry on WROS AM 1050. Some time after their second visit, Pastor Steve and Pastor Chip Merkle began talking about Higher Ground Ministries joining Changed By Grace Community Church to form one ministry. After much prayer, we had our first service together on June 1, 2003 in a store front at 12041-3 Beach Blvd. across from the Alhambra Dinner Theater. On October 27, 2003 Pastor Steve licensed Chip Merkle to the Gospel Ministry. On December 17, 2003 we entered into a lease with Open Arms Baptist Church for the church property at 49 N. Bowlan Street, Jacksonville, FL 32211 and began our first meeting on the property on Sunday December 28, 2003 with guest speaker Pastor Charles Swann. In January 2004 Pastor Steve ordained Chip Merkle as our second elder and in January 2005 he and Pastor Chip ordained Matt Boyette and Mike Miller as elders and officially formed our elder board. On August 31, 2005 we purchased the property we were currently leasing at 49 N. Bowlan Street in Jacksonville, FL and continue to meet at this location today. In September 2005 we began our college “Changed By Grace College & Seminary” with 27 students and 3 classes offered our first semester. In January 2006 we appointed Reid Rosborough as our first deacon and we continue today to train those for this calling in ministry.

Changed By Grace continues to grow both numerically and spiritually and to take on new ministries. We praise Jesus for what He is doing in building His church. Changed By Grace Community Church is an independent evangelical church not affiliated with any denomination and non-charismatic. That means we are governed by our own elders, not an outside organization. It is a Bible-believing, Bible preaching church standing uncompromisingly for the unchanging Word of God. It is an evangelistic church proclaiming the whole Gospel of Jesus Christ through a Bible-preaching, Bible-teaching ministry.

Changed By Grace Community Church Exists for the Purpose of Glorifying God, Maturing the Believer, and Leading Everyone to a Personal Relationship with Jesus Christ.

Every church has a rich history of how God has worked in a believer’s life in forming His church. Below is our story of how God set-apart a people for His name.