Who are we? 

Grace

“We are a church that God radically transformed.  Our new name is consistent with that transformation and aptly describes what God has made of our fellowship”  (Dr Joseph Tkach, GCI President).

"Grace" is the English translation of a Greek word that classically applied to the good and beneficial favours the gods bestowed upon men, such as kindness, empowerment, and good outcomes.  In the Old Testament God showed favour to his people, especially the poor and helpless, by treating them compassionately and generously, listening, encouraging, forgiving and rescuing.

The New Testament repeatedly and continually shows that grace is at the heart of who God is, and  how he lives and interacts with the Son and the Spirit, and with us.   God relates to us out of unconditional love and grace.  Grace is undeserved favour.  God favours us because of who he is, not because of anything we have done.   He has saved us, and made us one with him purely out of grace and divine kindness and generosity.

We chose this word for the name of our church denomination because it  is central to the journey we have been led on, and is at the heart of our values and mission as a transformed church.   Grace is no mere slogan.  We have lived through the remarkable—some say unprecedented—transformation of our church from legalism to the freedom that comes from understanding the gospel of grace. As a church, a ministry and as individuals, we have been and continue to be renewed, and not by our study, scholarship, or righteous behaviour, but by the grace of God in spite of ourselves. We have learned that grace is far more than just a religious word; it’s the kindness of God actively transforming human hearts and minds. 

The purpose of God's grace is to lead us to communion with him. 

For more information on our history see a Short History of Grace Communion International

What we Believe

• There is one God—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
• God the Father made all things through the Son, sent the Son for our salvation, and gives us the Holy Spirit.
• The Son of God, Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior, was born of the Virgin Mary, fully God and fully human, and is the perfect revelation of the Father and the perfect representative of humanity. He suffered and died on the cross for all human sin, was raised bodily on the third day, and ascended to heaven. Standing in for all humanity before the Father, Jesus Christ provides the perfect human response to God. Since he died for all, all died in him, and all will be made alive in him.
• The Holy Spirit brings sinners to repentance and faith, assures believers of their forgiveness and acceptance as God’s dearly loved children, and works in them to conform them to the image of Jesus Christ.
• The Bible is the inspired and infallible Word of God that testifies to Jesus Christ. The Bible is fully authoritative for all matters of faith and salvation.
• Salvation comes only by God’s grace and not by works, and it is experienced through faith in Jesus Christ. Christians respond to the joy of salvation when they gather in regular fellowship and live godly lives in Jesus Christ.
• We look forward to the resurrection of the dead and the life of the age to come.

Want to read more:

Read our online booklet, "The God Revealed in Jesus Christ", which explains how our most important questions are answered by going back to the most basic starting point. "Who is God?"

More information: Statement of Beliefs A Short History of Grace Communion International We're Often Asked

Communion

Our spiritual unity with God and with one another is reflected in the word Communion. 

Communion is one of those words that tends to get lost in religiosity. Certainly it describes the taking of bread and wine in memory of Jesus’ sacrifice. But that is only the tip of the iceberg. We as a fellowship are beginning to understand more fully that to follow Jesus is not about laws and regulations nor even imitating Jesus as a role model. It is about genuine relationships: real fellowship with the Father through the Son in the communion of the Holy Spirit, and therefore, in Christ, real fellowship with one another.

Communion comes from the Greek word "koinonia" which has to do with partnership, working and participating together, communicating, fellowshipping and sharing.  The Father, Son and Holy Spirit are one Being in perfect communion, and Jesus prayed that his disciples would share in that relationship and reflect it to the world (John 14:20; 17:23).  “The triune God is in the business of creating community, in such a way that we are never more truly human, never more truly persons, than when we find our true being in communion” (James B. Torrance, Worship, Community and The Triune God of Grace, p. 74).

Romans 5:8-11  But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners. 9 And since we have been made right in God’s sight by the blood of Christ, he will certainly save us from God’s judgment. 10 For since we were restored to friendship with God by the death of his Son while we were still his enemies, we will certainly be delivered from eternal punishment by his life. 11 So now we can rejoice in our wonderful new relationship with God—all because of what our Lord Jesus Christ has done for us in making us friends of God.  (Holy Bible : New Living Translation. 1997, c1996 (electronic ed.) (Rom 5:8-11). Wheaton: Tyndale House)

The purpose of God's grace is to lead us to communion with him.  To live in loving, grace based, relationship and fellowship, to be partners in life with him, and with one another.    So Grace Communion International focuses on the central activity of members participating in the life of God, together--congregations and individuals around the world, building genuine community in Christ in the bond of the Holy Spirit. 

Watch a short video on the life of communion God is building; One in Christ

One in Christ, God is building community – a life of communion with himself and with one another. That's what the gospel is about.(2.73 minutes) Watch Listen

Goal: To proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ. The gospel is the message that God is reconciling the world to himself and offering forgiveness of sin and eternal life through Jesus Christ. This is a goal Christians everywhere share.

Mission:  

"Living and Sharing the Gospel" 

We are committed to living and sharing the good news of what God has done through Jesus Christ. 

The church seeks to fulfill this mission by: 

• Building healthy, Christ-centered congregations that are sanctuaries of worship, friendship, and nurturing pastoral care.
• Providing sound biblical teaching through congregations, media, and personal outreach in relevant, meaningful forms for people of diverse backgrounds and ages.
• Expressing the love of God to all through the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives.
• Equipping people for Christian service so that the gospel can be known, understood, and experienced.
• Sharing in the work of the gospel with the broader Christian community, acknowledging that we can learn from one another and that Christ’s love goes beyond denominational boundaries.

 

International

The word International identifies us as a unified body of believers who span the globe, sharing a common history and journey of faith.  God has drawn us together into a church that is truly international in scope with more than 50,000 members, worshiping in about 900 congregations in almost 100 nations and territories.

The church—any church—is most effective when it is first and foremost a loving community.  In our case, we have a most unusual opportunity, for our community, our communion with Christ in the love of the Father by the Holy Spirit, reaches across racial, cultural and national boundaries; indeed, around the world.   It is a blessing that our church is large enough to have opportunities to work together and small enough that those opportunities can be personal. Friendships are continually being built across the national and cultural boundaries that more often than not create division in our world. 

Together we celebrate the communion of the triune God, and humanity’s inclusion in that relationship of love and life. Along with Jesus, we can call God “Abba” Father. 

Australian Churches

We have congregations in most major cities across Australia.  They are friendly places where people know each other well and encourage one another in their Christian walk.  You are more than welcome to visit, and if you like to  regularly fellowship with us.   May you be enfolded in the love of God, the grace of Jesus and the communion of the Spirit, wherever you participate in the body of Christ around the world.

For information about our congregations in Australia, then select the Church area you are interested in for contact information.  

We can be contacted using our contact page for more information

International Congregations

We are a Christian denomination with more than 47,000 members, worshiping in about 900 churches in almost 100 nations and territories around the globe. Most of our churches are small - friendly places where people know each other well and encourage one another in their Christian walk. Our site in the USA offers more information about our churches by nation/region, 

Other languages:  We also publish literature in Dutch, French, German, Italian, Norwegian, Portuguese and Spanish. Contact the office nearest you for other contact information.