“How much more so Pilate standing before the king of the universe. He's not just king of the Jews. He's king of the whole universe. There's not an atom around us at this point in time whether in your body, outside of you, whether you can see it or you can't, that he doesn't sustain by his power. Pilot's very breath going into his lungs so that he can then mockingly ask him questions is being given to him by the man standing in front of him. And yet he was indifferent.”
“You know, it's a good thing that knees are made to bend. Knees are made to bend whenever a weight that is coming against us overwhelms us so that we are not broken, so that the different parts of our body are not then torn apart. When Jesus told Peter that he will be overwhelmed by his circumstances that were gonna be too great for him to resist, Peter's knee should have bent right then rather than later. It only took a little girl making a very basic observation to knock him down.”
“There are false prophets in pseudo churches and there are false teachers throughout the world and even in, yes, since this come up recently, politics even, who will distort the word of God and say, Jesus actually endorses everything I'm standing on. Whether you're on the left or the right, actually know the word and what it actually says. Not what people want you to think Jesus is like, but what he actually is.”
Can someone attend while exploring Christianity or questioning their beliefs?
Yes. Grace says you’re welcome whether you’re new to church or have been a Christian for many years, so you can attend while exploring Christianity or asking questions. (https://gracerva.com/plan-your-visit/)
Which service times have children's programs for each age group?
- **9:30 a.m. Sunday School:** infants through 5th grade. - **10:45 a.m. worship:** care is provided for infants through 4-year-olds; Kids Church is available for kindergarten through 2nd grade, with children dismissed midservice. (https://gracerva.com/grace-kids-ministry/)
Do children need advance registration, and can visiting families participate?
Advance registration is not required for regular children’s ministry, though preregistering can make check-in quicker. Visiting families are welcome, and guests may accompany their children to Kids Church. Parents bringing a child to Kids Church for the first time need to create a profile for themselves and the child at the check-in kiosk. (https://gracerva.com/grace-kids-ministry/)
What denomination or network does the church belong to?
Grace Community Baptist Church is a cooperating member of the **Southern Baptist Convention** and accepts the *Baptist Faith and Message, 2000* as a general statement of faith. (https://gracerva.com/about/)
Grace Community Baptist Church’s stated core beliefs are that:
- **The Bible** is divinely inspired, wholly true in what it affirms, and the final authority for faith and practice. - **God** is one God eternally existing as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, and he created and sustains all things. - **Jesus Christ** is fully God and fully human; he lived without sin, died for sin, rose bodily, intercedes for believers, and will return. - **The Holy Spirit** is God, indwells believers, gives them gifts, and guides and empowers them. - **Salvation** is God’s gracious gift, received through repentance and faith—not earned by works. True believers are eternally secure. - **The church** is made up of people who trust in Jesus and gather for worship, teaching, prayer, baptism, the Lord’s Supper, fellowship, service, and outreach.
The church also says it cooperates with the Southern Baptist Convention and accepts the *Baptist Faith and Message, 2000* as a general statement of faith. (https://gracerva.com/about/)
The website shows women serving as the **Children’s Director** and **Office Manager**, and describes women’s service in children’s and youth ministry. It doesn’t state a general policy about which leadership roles women may hold. (https://gracerva.com/leadership/)
What are its stated policies concerning LGBTQ people?
The available website materials do not state a specific policy concerning LGBTQ people, such as policies on membership, marriage, or staff. The church’s beliefs page says the Bible is its final authority on faith and practice, but the provided statement does not address LGBTQ issues directly. (https://gracerva.com/about/)
A sermon criticizes the idea that others are morally required to affirm a person’s self-description, but presents this as a general worldview argument rather than an explicit LGBTQ policy. It does not spell out how that view applies to LGBTQ people or set out a church policy. ([01:07:04 from November 09, 2026])
Who leads the church, and how are leaders accountable?
Grace Community lists Dr. Christopher Jones as Pastor for Teaching & Leadership and names Stanley Lankadasari, Tom Collins, David Olson, and Kevin Larson as elders. The church describes its local congregations as working together under the watch care of elders and deacons. (https://gracerva.com/leadership/; https://gracerva.com/about/)
The church says leaders should model accountable servant leadership. More broadly, it holds itself accountable to its mission by regularly and honestly evaluating its progress. (https://gracerva.com/about/)
Which recent sermons would help someone understand the teaching?
To understand the teaching about Jesus as **prophet, priest, and king**, start with **“The (Disregarded) Prophet, Priest, and King”** (November 8, 2026; Matthew 26:69–74). Dr. Chris Jones connects these roles to Jesus revealing God, making the sacrifice for sin and interceding for believers, and reigning as king. ([34:48 from November 09, 2026]) He also applies the passage by contrasting Peter’s return to Jesus with Judas’s misplaced hope, and urges listeners to keep coming back to Christ for forgiveness and mercy. ([01:00:04 from November 09, 2026]) (https://gracerva.com/sermons/)
For more context around that passage, the church’s recent Matthew sermons include **“Jesus Remained Faithful”** (October 25; Matthew 26:31–56), **“The Last and First Supper”** (October 18; Matthew 26:17–30), and **“The Kangaroo Court”** (November 1; Genesis 26:57–68). (https://gracerva.com/sermons/)
How does the church talk about sin, confession and forgiveness?
The church describes sin as humanity’s defiance of God, which leaves people justly condemned; forgiveness and salvation are God’s gift of grace, received through repentance and faith—not earned by human works. Jesus died for sin, and the church describes him as the priest who made the sacrifice and intercedes for believers. (https://gracerva.com/about/)
Confession is a way of acknowledging our need for God’s grace and help. The church’s prayer groups make space for believers to confess that need to God. (https://gracerva.com/groups/)
We also teach that sin can disrupt a believer’s fellowship with God, though a true believer cannot lose salvation; the church describes God’s response as a loving Father’s discipline. In a sermon, Peter’s sorrow over denying Jesus is presented as leading to repentance, while Judas’s sorrow leads to despair. The encouragement is to keep returning to Jesus for forgiveness and mercy, rather than give up hope. ([01:00:04 from November 09, 2026]) ([01:01:12 from November 09, 2026])
How does the teaching approach community and honesty with others?
We approach community through authentic relationships: people gather to discuss Scripture, pray, care for and encourage one another, and “speak the Truth to one another in love.” These relationships are meant to foster openness and help people grow in Christian love and service. We also value honestly evaluating our progress and holding ourselves accountable to our mission. (https://gracerva.com/groups/) (https://gracerva.com/about/)
Grace’s approach is to bring doubt and suffering to Jesus rather than hide them or give up hope. Dr. Chris Jones points to Peter, whose deep sorrow after denying Jesus led him back to him; he encourages people who feel they have failed or gone too far to keep returning to Jesus for forgiveness and mercy. ([01:00:04 from November 09, 2026]) ([01:01:12 from November 09, 2026])
When questions or distress raise fears that a person is beyond hope, Jones urges them to look to Jesus and seek help from people around them. He says Christians should not face despair alone, and specifically encourages reaching out and accepting support. ([01:10:38 from November 09, 2026]) ([01:12:40 from November 09, 2026])
The church also points to Christ’s own suffering: Jesus suffered and died for sin, and his suffering is presented not as a reason for shame but as the basis of Christian hope. ([01:23:19 from November 09, 2026]) Grace’s stated commitments to Scripture, prayer, and genuine community offer practical supports for facing hardship together. (https://gracerva.com/about/)
Grace RVA teaches that salvation is God’s gift of grace, received through repentance and faith—not earned by human works. But faith is meant to be active: believers use their gifts to serve one another, work together to glorify God, and make disciples in their community and the world. (https://gracerva.com/about/)
Is an answer based on an official statement or an interpretation of sermons?
It is **an interpretation developed in Dr. Chris Jones’s sermon, not an explicit official statement of the church**. Jones frames the passage around Jesus as prophet, priest, and king, and says the current Baptist Faith and Message 2000 includes related ideas without naming those roles directly. ([30:47 from November 09, 2026])
The church’s website says Grace Community Baptist Church accepts the Baptist Faith and Message 2000 as a general statement of faith. (https://gracerva.com/about/)
- **Community groups:** Pinkard (Tuesday nights, Godwin area); Mann (Tuesday nights, Manakin); Collins (Tuesday nights, at the church); Larson (Wednesday nights, Glen Allen); and Amboji (Thursday nights, Short Pump). The website doesn’t specify exact times. (https://gracerva.com/groups/) - **Prayer groups:** Corporate Prayer meets the second Sunday of each month at 5:30 p.m. in the Worship Center; Thursday prayer meets at 6:30 a.m. at Kitty Holloway’s home. (https://gracerva.com/groups/) - **Sunday morning Bible study:** Groups meet weekly at 9:30 a.m. (https://gracerva.com/groups/) Adult, children’s, and middle- and high-school classes are listed for Sunday mornings from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. (https://gracerva.com/plan-your-visit/)
Are there groups or introductory gatherings open to newcomers?
Yes. Newcomers are welcome to join Grace’s community groups, Bible studies, and prayer gatherings. Community groups meet during the week in several areas, and Sunday morning Bible study groups meet at 9:30 a.m. For help finding a group, email groups@gracerva.com. (https://gracerva.com/groups/)
You’re also welcome to visit on Sunday: adult Bible study classes begin at 9:30 a.m., followed by worship at 10:45 a.m. (https://gracerva.com/plan-your-visit/)
Can someone join groups or volunteer before becoming a member?
You can join a group without the website listing membership as a requirement; Grace encourages people to participate in its groups. For volunteering, some opportunities—such as local outreach—are described as being for Grace members, and the website doesn’t clarify whether nonmembers can volunteer. Contact the church to ask about a specific role. (https://gracerva.com/groups/) (https://gracerva.com/outreach/)
Who can answer a question the published information doesn't resolve?
Contact Grace RVA’s church leadership—its elders or staff—for help with questions the published information doesn’t resolve. (https://gracerva.com/leadership/)