Enjoy this testimonial from Mitchell Probst, the guitarist in the 9 a.m. Praise Band.
I’ve been at Grace for five years, and it has truly been an honor. When I started at Grace, my faith was wavering, and I had a fairly negative attitude about churches based on bad experiences at my church while growing up. The church where I grew up always seemed to lean towards fear as a motivator. I was shamed for reading the bible too much as a child and having too many questions for my church leaders. It made me an agnostic/atheist for years and left a bitter taste in my mouth.
After being at Grace for years, I’ve witnessed a community of caring and compassion that I never saw before. I have seen that at Grace, leading comes more from a place of hope, realism, and differing perspectives during sermons. Grace is not judgmental. Grace accepts people as they are without shame and asks for joy and concern from others. This is something that I didn’t think existed. I think Grace is the kind of church that Jesus and his disciples would approve of. I have seen the people at Grace genuinely give back to the community and help others. Grace has given me hope, strengthened my faith, and been a place of great stability for me personally for years. I feel blessed playing in the band every week for the people accepting me as I am.
If Grace was unable to have a praise band where I could play, I could go elsewhere. I have been offered a job playing for another church twice, and I came close to taking the job once. However, it just didn’t sit right with me. It felt like a business decision, whereas Grace is more about the people and community interests first and foremost, just as the Bible tells us it should be. How can a church be holy when it sees money as a top priority? Grace does not do this. Grace values the mission beyond just making money. It helps me see the righteousness of what a church can be. I can express myself through the music when I am able to write my own parts, arrange music with the band, and make the songs our own. Without the support of Grace, we wouldn’t be able to express ourselves in a way that is fulfilling and fun.
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