Grace Communion International is a mosaic of churches knit together in grace.
Through Spirit-led, life-giving relationships, our 30,000 members in about 550 churches spread across 70 countries seek to multiply mature followers of Jesus throughout the world. We pursue this disciple-making mission grounded in the identity, beliefs and values described below. Also provided is information about our leadership and history.
Grace Communion International places great emphasis on the gracious triune God (Father, Son and Holy Spirit). Our pastors and the people they serve point others toward the Triune God, helping them participate in the love and life of God, in union with Christ, by the Spirit.
We are inclusive informers, teachers, and pastor-theologians who pursue God’s Word (the Living Word, Jesus, revealed in the written Word, the Bible). It is our quest to follow where Jesus, by his Word and Spirit, leads.
We are passionate about equipping, training and proclaiming the relational nature of the triune God. Our goal is healthy churches who seek to be a part of God’s renewing work in the world.
We are intentional about developing leaders, and new and renewed churches that grow and multiply. In faith, we lead into the liberated love and life of the Father, Son and Spirit. Our consistent effort is high support with high challenge, grace always.
Grace Communion International is a trusted theological voice. We have shown ourselves willing to lose it all so that we may gain Christ. We seek to help those who join with us embrace and share the love of God in genuine ways.
Some people ask, “What are your distinctives—what makes you different, or superior?” The answer is that we aren’t in competition with other churches. We simply strive to be the healthiest expression of Christian church we can be. Through Jesus, by the Spirit, we seek to proclaim the Good News in all of our communication and in all the ways we interact with others. The Gospel about Jesus really is good news for everyone—that’s the message you will hear and experience in Grace Communion International.
Grace Communion International
Divine Participation
Grace Communion International believes that theology should be rooted in the Bible, especially the New Testament. We see a reliable theology articulated by Irenaeus, Athanasius, Gregory Nazianzus, and more recently, Karl Barth, Thomas F. Torrance, and many others. This theology is often referred to as Trinitarian Theology due to its emphasis on the relational nature of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
Here is a summary of our core beliefs:
If you are interested in a comprehensive look at our theology and doctrines, read The God Revealed In Jesus Christ and The GCI Statement of Beliefs. Also see We Believe, which sets out our core beliefs in a question and answer format. For answers to frequently asked questions about our beliefs, click here and then click on the “FAQ” tab.
By living out the following values, we seek to multiply followers of Jesus across the globe.
We are physically inclusive. That inclusivity means we are visibly diverse, open and welcoming.
We are emotionally passionate. We push ourselves to be emotionally courageous, convinced and to grow deeper in understanding.
We are intellectually intentional. That intention can be seen in the way we thoughtfully engage our faith and how we place value on the education of our clergy.
We are socially loving and express this as hopefulness, graciousness, and as an over-flowing toward others.
We are spiritually generous and strive to remain stable, honest, and humble as we engage with the communities that surround us.
In Grace Communion International, we are structured in the episcopal model. We believe this is the best way for our churches to have doctrinal soundness and stability. We believe this model works best to serve our churches and their members.
The head of the church is Jesus Christ. All leaders within the church should seek his will in all things, in their own lives as well as in the functioning of the congregations. The leaders are to be Christ-like in their leadership, which means that they must seek to help others, not to benefit themselves.
Our denomination is led by an executive committee from our home office in Charlotte, North Carolina.
Why we exist today
Our strengths as a denomination include a fresh awareness of the importance of grace, a high respect for Scripture, and a willingness to do what it says. We recognize that Jesus, as our Savior and Lord, has reconciled us to the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. We rejoice in the implications of incarnational Trinitarian theology—for an overview of that theology, click here.
We know that Jesus makes a difference in the way we live. Through the agency of the Holy Spirit, he transforms our lives in this age, and gives us eternal life in fellowship with our Creator. Jesus is alive and active, therefore he is not done with us yet. We are still being shaped and fashioned for his purpose. We praise him and worship him, and seek to know and do his will for our lives.
