Letter From the Elders

As the Board of Elders at Grace Church, we take the biblical mandate to shepherd the flock seriously, especially in these unprecedented times (1 Peter 5:1-3).

October 01, 2020

Dear Grace Church Family,

As the Board of Elders at Grace Church, we take the biblical mandate to shepherd the flock seriously, especially in these unprecedented times (1 Peter 5:1-3). We believe God has uniquely equipped our church to be a beacon of influence in our culture while remaining steadfast in our mission to advance the Gospel across the street and around the world.

Pastor Troy’s recent Dismantle series demonstrated that we have a senior pastor who is not afraid to take a biblical stand on the issues of today while remaining winsome and committed to teaching biblical truth. We believe many are looking for biblical wisdom in navigating an increasingly hostile environment for Christ-followers, and we want to esteem and point to Jesus Christ and His Word as the only source of truth and hope in this world.

Accordingly, we acknowledge God’s sovereignty over the governing authorities (Romans 13:1-3). At this time, with all of the uncertainty, political unrest, rioting, racial tensions, a global pandemic, a vacant Supreme Court seat, and a critical election forthcoming, this is not a time to remain on the sidelines. We encourage you to vote in November! To assist you in your decision-making process, we will be providing various biblically-based resources and guidance during the month of October. We truly believe Grace Church will play a part in shaping culture and impacting our communities and the world for the glory of God and the advancement of the Gospel.

Therefore, as you prepare to vote, we exhort you to:

  • Be sober-minded (1 Peter 4:7): Be willing to set aside emotion and political personalities to intentionally investigate the platforms being proposed by each party. Seek biblical truth and understanding as it relates to issues like God’s design for marriage and family, the funding of abortion with your taxpayer dollars, the freedom of religion and proclaiming the Gospel, racial unity and reconciliation, how to best help those in need, the rule of law, and an appropriate response to injustice.
  • Be discerning (Hosea 14:9): Apply biblical truth and wisdom to today’s issues. Be informed and seek the truth. Use restraint and discernment about what we read, what we believe to be true, and consequently, what we post and share on social media. Seek truth without blindly accepting highly emotional information from mainstream sources, social media, and political advertisements, which are biased. Ask the Lord for wisdom and understanding on how to best live within and engage culture.
  • Be watchful (1 Peter 5:8): Observe and seek to understand societal behavior through a biblical lens, understanding the devil is at work to divide our church and our nation. Understand where your true home is. Our Kingdom is not of this world. While voting and participating in the process to shape our republic is very important, seeking first His Kingdom and His righteousness should be our primary concern. Watch what you consume and believe to be true on social media. Will your next post, snap, or tweet glorify God and benefit the advancement of the Gospel? If we are united in Christ, will your speech and conduct in these times unify or divide? Would Jesus be pleased by your Facebook, Instagram, or Tik Tok post?
  • And most of all, be prayerful (2 Chronicles 7:14): Be repentant and plead with the Lord to heal our land. Ask the Lord to guide our decisions and trust Him for the outcomes. Be in prayer for our nation, for our leaders, and for the electoral process. Be in prayer for the neighborhoods and people who have been deeply affected by racial injustice and for those displaced and ravaged by violence, looting, and destruction. Pray for those who are on the front lines serving and helping to maintain health and peace in our great nation. Be in prayer for Pastor Troy and our church leadership as we navigate these uncharted waters. Pray that the outcome of the election would honor God and allow His church to glorify Him even more.

Once again, we urge you to vote on November 3! This is not an election to sit out. Christ’s people need to stand tall during these turbulent times.

Prior to Election Day, we will be hosting an Elder-led, church-wide prayer gathering and a 24-hour prayer summit. We also urge you to join us as we commit to being in daily prayer for our church and our nation. More information about these activities will be available in the app and on grace.church/events.

Beginning Sunday, October 11, you will be able to pick up a printed copy of the Minnesota Family Council 2020 Voter Guide at Grace. These non-partisan guides will help inform you where candidates stand on most of the issues stated above. Pastor Troy will also be commenting on these issues from a biblical perspective between now and November 3.

May we be a church that is passionate about the Gospel, discerning and focused on biblical truth. May we be a church that lovingly welcomes broken people, directing them to biblical wisdom and guiding them to a deeper personal relationship with Jesus. We are grateful for Pastor Troy and the way he faithfully preaches the whole counsel of God and His Word every week. We are grateful for over 120 missionaries from Grace Church who are spreading the Gospel throughout the world. We are grateful for excellent staff, willing volunteers, and small group leaders. We are so grateful for you, a church body who loves Jesus and is passionate about His Word, the Gospel, and taking that Gospel across the street and around the world.

With love,

Your Grace Church Board of Elders:
Pastor Troy Dobbs
Dan Meiusi – Chairman
Mark Wilhite – Vice Chairman
Jeff Stone – Secretary
David C. Carlson, MD
Dave Heine
Ken Clinton
Roger Jorgensen
Paul Ocenasek
Jim Groff
Josh Gavin
Scott Neubauer
Seth Zehr