Grace Covenant Church sits along Jollyville Road in northwest Austin, in a campus anchored by the Worship Center at 9431 Jollyville Road and supported by the Grace360 office building next door. The church planted its roots in Austin in 1969, and the senior pastor's recent series titled "Celebrating Fifty Years" traces the arc of more than five decades of ministry in the city. Today Grace runs two identical Sunday morning services at 9:15 and 11 a.m., with the same contemporary worship and Bible teaching offered in person and online. Around those two services sits an unusually broad ministry footprint for a single congregation: Grace Kids for children from infancy through fifth grade, Grace Youth for middle and high schoolers, Adult Discipleship Communities that meet in classrooms between services, women's and men's ministries that fill out the rest of the week, a care ministry called GraceCares, and a mobilization program that sends out roughly 89 missionaries worldwide.
Two Sunday Mornings at the Worship Center
Sunday is built around two morning services, both held in the Worship Center. Each one features the same worship and the same teaching from the preaching team, with Children's Ministry and Middle School Youth meeting during the 9:15 a.m. service and High School Youth meeting during the 11 a.m. service. Worship runs through a band led by Pastor of Worship and Connections Tyler Daniel and Director of Worship and Production Jonathan Britnell. Between them, in the 10:30 a.m. window, Grace hosts its Explore Grace meetup inside the Worship Center in The Cove, a casual gathering for newcomers to hear about the church's history, vision, and beliefs.
First-time logistics are spelled out in detail. Designated visitor parking sits in front of the Cornerstone Building, where Grace Kids meets, with additional visitor spaces in the office building lots just south of campus and in a parking garage. Golf carts circulate through the lots to give rides to the buildings, and greeters hand out smiles, cookies, and cups of coffee and donuts at the door. Visitors can pick up a welcome gift at the Welcome Center in the Worship Center Lobby, and a Guest Connect Card is available online for anyone who wants the church to follow up after a visit.
Grace livestreams both Sunday services. The livestream is offered for those traveling or unable to attend in person, and sermons remain available in an archive that stretches back to 2012. Past series have ranged from short topical sets to year-long walks through books of the Bible, including Romans in two installments, James, the Sermon on the Mount, Exodus, the Life of David, Jonah, Ruth, and a multi-year Walk Through the Bible project that pairs hand signs with the storyline of Scripture.
What Grace Believes
Grace publishes a full Statement of Faith and Bylaws, both downloadable from the Beliefs page. At the center is belief in one Triune God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, and in the Bible as the inspired, authoritative, and without-error Word of God. The church affirms the virgin birth, substitutionary death, and bodily resurrection of Jesus Christ, His present ministry as exalted High Priest at the right hand of the Father, and His personal and bodily return to gather His Church and establish His Kingdom.
Salvation is described as a gift of grace received through personal faith in Jesus Christ, not earned by works. The church teaches the bodily resurrection of every person, eternal life with God for those who trust Christ, and eternal separation from God for those who reject Him. On the Church, Grace holds that the universal Church is the Bride and Body of Christ, and that the local church is the primary means God uses to build His Kingdom. Local governance follows the New Testament pattern of male elders, and Grace is elder-led: a board of seven elders, including the senior pastor, holds delegated authority for oversight of the congregation.
Two ordinances are practiced: baptism and communion. The Elders have also written a series of position papers that articulate the church's biblical view on topics including church authority and pastoral service, the restoration process for members, the sacredness of marriage and sexual relationships, and the dignity of human life from conception. A giving paper rounds out the doctrinal library.
Elders and the Pastoral Team
Spiritual oversight rests with the Elder Board. Seven men currently serve as elders, including Dr. Matt Cassidy, who is both Senior Pastor and a member of the board. The other elders are Ray Anderson, Ryan Assunto, Cliff Blount, Scott Garner, Jason Jupe, Mark McClain, and Bill Schreyer.
Day-to-day ministry is led by a Senior Leadership Team of five. Dr. Matt Cassidy preaches and provides overall direction. Dr. Jeremiah Ebeling serves as Executive Pastor of Family Life, overseeing marriage, premarital, and pre-engagement ministry. Melissa Eckel is Executive Pastor of Discipleship and also pastors Women at Grace. Dr. Kevin Maurice is Executive Pastor of Teaching, walking the congregation through Scripture in sermons and courses. Robert Morris is Executive Pastor of Operations and pastors Men at Grace.
A wider Pastors and Directors team runs the day-to-day ministry areas. Tyler Daniel leads worship and Connections. Jonathan Britnell directs Worship and Production. Austen Hornung pastors youth. Keaton Koch pastors mobilization. David Thompson pastors Adult Discipleship Communities. Kimberly McClung pastors Congregational Care and leads GraceCares. Lauren Allen directs Children's Ministry, supported by Early Childhood Director Ana Mendez and Elementary Ministry Director Christine Lawless. Julie Loftsgaarden directs Communications, and Fred Johnson directs Operations, with a Safety and Security Coordinator, a Database Administrator, and an Office Manager rounding out the staff team.
Grace Kids, from Crib Through Fifth Grade
Grace Kids serves children from six weeks old through fifth grade during both Sunday morning services, meeting in the Cornerstone and Live Oak Buildings. Check-in uses kiosks in either building: a printed name tag for the child and a matching pick-up sticker for the parent are issued, and a volunteer walks the family to the classroom. Classes are divided by age, with multiple rooms for a given age group in each service. After the service, parents return to the classroom with their sticker to collect their child.
The children's ministry asks parents to check children for illness before coming, the same expectation as school. Midweek, Club45 Discipleship runs on Wednesdays in October from 6:30 to 8 p.m. for fourth and fifth graders, giving them a taste of what middle school small groups will look like. Family Worship Nights gather Grace Kids and their families several times a year for an evening that includes baptisms, large-group worship, and dinner in the Auditorium.
Volunteers are the backbone of Grace Kids. Roles range from small group facilitation and large group teaching to guest services, supply team help during the week, and audio/visual support. The ministry also runs a Grace Kids Buddies program for children with special needs, recruiting and training adults and teens to provide one-on-one support. Parents who want their child baptized before fifth grade do so through Family Worship Nights, with applications reviewed by the Grace Kids team.
Grace Youth for Middle and High Schoolers
Grace Youth exists to glorify God by guiding students to become like Christ in all of life, learning to study God's Word in relationship with one another and to live out faith in the world. Sunday mornings are grade-specific: middle school students in grades 6 through 8 meet at 9:15 a.m. in the Loft, and high school students in grades 9 through 12 meet at 11 a.m. in the same space. Worship, teaching, and small group Life Groups are all part of the Sunday rhythm.
Wednesday nights add a second layer of community. Middle school Life Groups meet at Grace from 6:30 to 8 p.m. in the Loft. High school Life Groups meet from 7 to 8:30 p.m. in leaders' homes throughout the city. Leaders typically stay with a class of students through graduation, allowing deep mentoring relationships to form.
Youth baptisms take place each July at Summer Camp, with additional baptisms scheduled through life groups throughout the year. Annual fall conferences, Renew for girls and Rooted for guys, draw the middle and high school students together for a Saturday of teaching, connection, and fun. A Discipleship Guide and a Winter Retreat Wrap-Up Book are available to help students and parents continue the conversation at home.
Communities on Sunday Mornings
Between the two Sunday services, Grace runs a network of Adult Discipleship Communities that meet on campus in a classroom-style format. Each community gathers in large group for teaching and then breaks into smaller groups for discussion and prayer, with a semester's curriculum built around marriage and parenting, Bible, doctrine, and Christian life and ministry.
The current lineup includes Grace Couples and Families for engaged or young married couples, new parents, and parents of elementary-age children, meeting at 9:15 a.m. in the Education Building. Parenting Teens meets at the same hour for parents of middle and high school students, partnering closely with the Grace Youth pastoral team. Parents of Young Adults meets at 11 a.m. for parents navigating the college and early career years. Empty Nesters meets at 11 a.m. for parents of adult children, often with grandchildren and aging parents in the mix. Hearts of Grace gathers adult women of all ages and stages at 9:15 a.m. The Word and the Way is a co-ed, all-ages community that leans heavily into Bible study. Young Adults, ages 18 to 29, gather monthly on Tuesday evenings in the Loft for worship, teaching, and community. An inductive Precept Bible study of Zechariah runs on Tuesday evenings through the fall.
Women at Grace
Women at Grace exists to guide women to become like Christ in all of life through relational discipleship, led by Executive Pastor of Discipleship Melissa Eckel and supported by Leslie Evetts as Women's Ministry Associate. Three women's Bible studies anchor the fall semester, all beginning the Wednesday after Labor Day. Morning sessions meet from 9:45 to 11:45 a.m. in the Loft, with childcare available; evening sessions run from 6:30 to 8:15 p.m. on the second floor of the Live Oak Building and include dinner. The fall studies are Sermon on the Mount, working through Matthew 5 - 7; See For Yourself, an inductive study on how to study the Bible; and Conquering Codependency, a 12-week course for those wrestling with codependent patterns.
The MomCo, Grace's version of a mothers' ministry, meets twice a month on Friday mornings from 9:15 to 11:45 a.m., beginning in early September. Speakers address marriage, parenting, and family from a biblical perspective, with small group discussion and childcare provided for children six weeks through fifth grade. Cultivate pairs women interested in being discipled with mature believers, and Forgiven and Set Free is offered periodically as a confidential small group for women who have had an abortion. Periodic gatherings called Girlfriends at Grace address topics of interest to women in the church; the next one focuses on engaging artificial intelligence with wisdom.
Men at Grace
Men at Grace, pastored by Robert Morris, exists to equip and encourage men to live out faith authentically. Quest is the ministry's weekly discipleship environment, running each Thursday morning from 6:30 to 8 a.m. and each Thursday evening from 6:30 to 8 p.m. through the school year. The morning option includes breakfast and the evening option includes dinner, with a registration fee that covers the semester's resources and meals. Scholarships are available for those who need them.
Man Night gathers men together several times a year for teaching, food, and games, with an evening program open to men and to boys sixth grade and older. A springtime BBQ Cookoff in the courtyard invites men to grill, eat, and play games. Men's Meat Ups happen over the lunch hour at local barbecue spots, giving men a chance to invite a friend along. De'Sante Huckaby serves as Men's Ministry Resident, working alongside the pastor and an administrative coordinator.
GraceCares: Walking Through Hard Seasons
GraceCares, pastored by Congregational Care Pastor Kimberly McClung, exists to provide support for individuals and families affected by emotionally, physically, and spiritually difficult circumstances. Pastoral care is at the center: pastors and staff visit hospitals and health care facilities, and GraceCares staff respond to illness, hospitalization, terminal diagnosis, bereavement, and the long-term effects of each. Anyone can call the church office or email gracecares@grace360.org to request a visit or to alert the team to a medical emergency.
Several structured support ministries run through GraceCares. GriefShare, a grief recovery program rooted in biblical promises of comfort, meets on Sunday mornings from 10:45 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. in the Grace360 Building. DivorceCare runs at the same hour in an adjacent room and offers a friendly, caring group for people walking through separation and divorce. CareGivers meets on the third and fifth Wednesdays of each month from noon to 1 p.m. for those caring for an aging or ill family member; no registration is required. Care Ministers are lay believers who meet weekly with someone walking through a difficult season for a period of three to twelve months, listening and providing spiritual guidance. A PrayerShawl ministry of women who crochet or knit gathers twice a month on the second and fourth Tuesdays from 1 to 2:30 p.m. in the Brides Room of the Worship Center, donating shawls to those suffering loss, cancer, or serious illness. Celebrate Recovery is currently on pause as Grace seeks a new Care Pastor; the church points people in the meantime to faithrecoveryaustin.com for active recovery ministries in greater Austin.
Marriage, Pre-Engagement, and Premarital Mentoring
Grace's Marriage Ministry, overseen by Executive Pastor of Family Life Dr. Jeremiah Ebeling, exists to support couples at every stage, from before engagement through the decades of marriage that follow. The ministry holds that marriage was established by God as a covenant between one man and one woman, and that marriage discipleship strengthens each spouse's relationship with God so that grace can flow freely between them.
re|engage is a marriage enrichment program that meets on Monday evenings from 7 to 8:30 p.m., with walk-ins welcome at any time. Each gathering includes testimonies from couples who have experienced growth, biblical teaching, and small group time. The Premarital Mentoring ministry equips engaged couples for marriage by helping them think biblically about God's purpose for marriage and the roles of husband and wife; couples are encouraged to allow about six months prior to the wedding to complete the process. Pre-Engagement Mentoring is offered to couples who have been dating for at least six months and want to evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of the relationship, understand opportunities and challenges that may lie ahead, and discern God's will before an engagement ring is purchased.
Mobilization: Austin, the Americas, and the Nations
Mobilization at Grace, pastored by Keaton Koch, follows an Acts 1:8 model, sending and supporting missionaries and short-term teams to its city, to the Americas, and to the nations. The Jerusalem is the greater Austin area, where Grace partners with local ministries and runs seasonal service projects such as diaper drives and homelessness workshops. The Judea and Samaria tier focuses on North, Central, and South America, with active ministry partnerships in Ecuador and Colombia. The nations tier is supported through 89 missionaries making up 50 missionary units sent out from Grace, plus short-term trips to Europe, Africa, and Asia, with a particular focus in South Asia.
Upcoming opportunities include an Ecuador Family Trip over Thanksgiving week serving with One Collective and Hacienda El Refugio, an SXSW Young Adults Mission Trip during the SXSW festival in Austin, and Gospel Conversations Training for anyone who wants to learn to share the Good News with friends, neighbors, and co-workers. Sent Sundays are prayer gatherings on the move, with teams walking the UT campus to share the Gospel with international students. Operation Christmas Child packing parties and an annual Mobilization Gathering round out the calendar. The church also coordinates short-term housing and transportation for missionaries on furlough, building a database of host homes.
Courses, Discovery, and the Spiritual Gifts Assessment
Grace runs a multi-year Discovery curriculum of twelve courses designed to guide followers of Jesus to become more like Christ in all of life, offered every other year each fall and spring semester. The current catalog covers the Old Testament in three strands: Torah, Prophets, and Writings; the New Testament in two strands: Gospels and Letters; and several theology and practice courses including Biblical Theology 1 and 2, Christian Apologetics, Spiritual Practices, the Mission of God, How to Read the Bible, and Gospel Conversations Training.
The fall semester also offers shorter topical courses: Building Your Finances God's Way on Wednesday evenings; The Way of the Soul on Sunday mornings; and Exploring the Old Testament: Prophets. Each course runs about eight weeks. Childcare is provided for many of the courses so adults can attend without arranging a sitter.
One of the church's distinctive contributions is its own Spiritual Gifts Assessment, a 96-statement online tool that identifies a believer's top three gifts and ranks the rest, drawn from a 16-gift framework that Grace has identified from Scripture and grouped into four quadrants: Leading, Training, Service, and Compassion. Results can be added to a member's Realm profile to surface ministry opportunities matched to those gifts.
Connect, Give, and Realm
Realm is the online portal that connects the Grace community to events, small groups, and giving. Anyone connected to the church can request a Realm account to register for programs like Quest or MomCo, sign up for events like Grace Kids' Movie Night, or tithe and give online. The Realm Connect mobile app is available for iOS and Android. For giving, options include a one-time gift or recurring giving online, a check mailed to the church office, stock or qualified charitable distributions, payroll deduction or employer matching, and offering envelopes for use on Sunday mornings. Donors may direct their gifts to several funds, including the General Fund, Mercy Fund, Building Fund, Mobilization, or Relief. The weekly newsletter Life@Grace goes out each Wednesday with announcements, updates, and information about upcoming events.
Getting to Know Grace
Anyone curious about the church can start with Explore Grace, an informal meetup held between services in The Cove inside the Worship Center, where newcomers hear about leadership, vision, history, and beliefs over coffee. Those who want to go further can attend Membership Class, Part One, fill out a Membership Application, meet with a pastor or elder to share their story of faith, and finish with Membership Class, Part Two. Baptisms are scheduled several times a year as part of Sunday morning services, with the next scheduled baptism Sunday set for early November. Sunday morning services run at 9:15 and 11 a.m. at the Worship Center at 9431 Jollyville Road, with the church office at 9508 Jollyville Road, Suite 200, and a phone line at 512-345-7840 open Monday through Thursday from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Friday from 8:30 a.m. to noon.