In the past several decades, we have witnessed the steady development of a post-Christian culture in America. These cultural changes, among other things, have been accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic. We see and feel these changes where we live in central Pennsylvania.
From increasing political polarization and violence to religious fundamentalism and cancel-culture, we believe that it’s time for the Church in America to return to the teachings of Jesus, embody the good news, and be a faithful witness for the gospel as aliens and exiles (1 Pet. 2:11-12).
At Grantham Church, we seek to be a Spirit-filled community of saints and sinners, redeemed cynics, and hopeful realists. We desire to be a place where you can come as you are and encounter Jesus wherever you’re at on your journey. With our hearts oriented toward Christ, we believe that the Holy Spirit can make us one and help us overcome our differences (John 17:20-23; Gal. 3:28).
We believe in sin, repentance, and the Spirit’s power to change our lives. We are serious about the Scriptures. And we believe in grace, redemption, and God’s good future (1 Thess. 5:23).
We are spiritual and religious. We identify with historic Christian beliefs and practices, but we also believe that the Spirit is at work in the Church and in the world today. As a congregation, we aspire to be intergenerational, convergent, and Third Way. We are peacemakers in the way of Christ.
We believe in restorative justice, but not in partisan politics. We are pro-life from the womb to the tomb. We seek to be intentional in recognizing the extremes, resisting idolatry, and rebuking ideologies that harm others and fuel division and polarization in American society.
We are a congregation of artists, authors, architects, entrepreneurs, teachers, administrators, counselors, lawyers, nurses, leaders of non-profits, politicians, fundraisers, insurance agents, retired pastors and missionaries, as well as truck drivers, factory workers, retail workers, day laborers, and students. We see our vocations as a way to serve Christ and live out our faith.
We are serious about making disciples of Jesus. We believe in loving our neighbors and enemies, serving the poor and needy, and welcoming everyone we meet (Matt. 5:43-48; 28:18-20).
In short, we are all about leading people to the God who looks like Jesus.
David received a B.A. in Religion from East Texas Baptist University and a MTS in Biblical Studies from Houston Graduate School of Theology, a missional, multi-cultural, and multi-denominational seminary. He has over 20 years of ministry experience in and outside the church, pastoring churches in Texas, Virginia, and Pennsylvania.
Our beliefs at Grantham Church are based on the doctrine and core values of the Brethren in Christ. At our church, we develop lifelong followers of Jesus who believe in these tenets:
We value the gift of salvation in Christ Jesus and the transforming power of the Holy Spirit.
We value the Bible as God’s Word, study it together, and build our lives on its truth.
We value heartfelt worship that is God-honoring, Spirit-directed, and life-changing.
We value wholehearted obedience to Christ Jesus through the presence of the Holy Spirit.
We value integrity in relationships and mutual accountability in an atmosphere of grace, love and acceptance.
We value an active and loving witness for Christ to all people.
We value serving others at their point of need, following the example of our Lord Jesus.
We value all human life and promote forgiveness, understanding, reconciliation and non-violent resolution of conflict.
We value uncluttered lives, which free us to love boldly, give generously, and serve joyfully.
We confess our dependence on God for everything and seek to deepen our intimacy with Him by living prayerfully.
For more than 100 years, Grantham Church has been providing a welcoming place to worship Jesus. Our unique location is just steps away from the campus of Messiah University and gives us a unique opportunity to reach people in Grantham and the nearby Mechanicsburg community, as well as those who are studying at Messiah and their families.
The Brethren in Christ (BIC) roots date more than 100 years before Grantham Church was founded.
Most historians believe the BIC began between the years of 1775 to 1788 when a group of Mennonites along the Susquehanna River believed it was necessary to have a Spirit-empowered faith that was transformative for the individual, the church, and the world around them. This was in response to the over-intellectualization of the faith among Anabaptists in those years.
These Anabaptists embraced Pietism and began referring to themselves as “the Brethren” or “River Brethren” to distinguish them from Mennonites. Around the time of the Civil War in the United States, the Brethren decided to record themselves under the present name, “Brethren in Christ.”
During the early years of the BIC, people met in others’ houses instead of establishing a place of their own to worship. The BIC eventually developed a strong focus on missions and church-planting and began to spread its influence —existing today in over 20 countries worldwide.
While the spiritual identity of the Grantham Church is unique to our local context, we’re guided by and committed to beliefs and practices from four major historical streams of the BIC:
Anabaptism — non-violence, peacemaking, service, simple living, etc.
Pietism — heart-felt conversion and personal experiences of renewed life in Christ
Wesleyanism — Arminian theology (free will), holy living, and women in ministry
Evangelicalism — a passion for Jesus, the Scriptures, and reaching the lost
As Luke Keefer Jr., a BIC historian and theologian, once wrote: when we blend multiple traditions, each are impacted by the other. So, like a mixed fruit drink, we must harmonize and synthesize these streams to create a unique ecclesial flavor. We are committed to this at Grantham Church.