Exalting Jesus
SINCE 2007
Go and Make Disciples
“Then Jesus came to them and said, ‘All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.’”
Matthew 28:18-20 (NIV)
Grace Gospel Church is a nondenominational, multi-generational, charismatic-evangelical church located just north of Cambridge, MN, on Highway 65.
Our Vision
To be and to make disciples of Jesus who follow Him faithfully by the power of the Holy Spirit until He returns, to the glory of God.
Our Founders
Tom and Cindy Porta
Grace Gospel Church was founded by Pastor Tom Porta and his wife Cindy in 2007 in Cambridge, MN. We will be forever grateful for the godly legacy that they have left to this spiritual family.
Our Leadership
Elders
Phil Porta, Steve Baker, Paul Maurer, Bob Lex, Peter Templin, Dick Otto, Tim Miller
“Be on guard for yourselves and for all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has appointed you as overseers, to shepherd the church of God, which he purchased with his own blood.” (Acts 20:28 CSB)
We are so thankful to have a team of elders who genuinely care for Jesus’ flock at Grace Gospel and who take this charge seriously.
elders@gracegospelchurchmn.com
Deacons
Brad Johnson, Gary Lantz, Pam Hannan, Gary Hannan
“Those [deacons] who have served well gain an excellent standing and great assurance in their faith in Christ Jesus.” (1 Tim. 1:13 NIV)
We are so thankful to have a team of deacons who love Jesus and labor diligently in their service to the Grace Gospel family.
deacons@gracegospelchurchmn.com
Secretary
Linda Templin
“The greatest among you will be your servant.” (Matt. 23:11 CSB)
We are so thankful for Linda’s many years of service to the Grace Gospel family and her true greatness in the eyes of Jesus.
secretary@gracegospelchurchmn.com
Children’s Ministry
Rachel Templin and Sarah Hunt
“But when Jesus saw this, he was indignant and said to them, ‘Let the little children come to me; do not stop them; for it is to such as these that the kingdom of God belongs. Truly I tell you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will never enter it.’ And he took them up in his arms, laid his hands on them, and blessed them.” (Mark 10:14-16 NRSV)
We are so thankful for children’s ministry leaders who share Jesus’ love for children and who eagerly desire them to have a strong foundation in the Lord.
For children’ s ministry resources, click HERE.
children@gracegospelchurchmn.com
Worship
Joe Samsa
“Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts.” (Col. 3:16)
We are so thankful to have a worship leader and team who faithfully and skillfully lead us in praising and honoring our great God each week.
worship@gracegospelchurchmn.com
Youth
Jeff Rud and Rely on Christ (ROC)
“Come, let us sing for joy to the Lord; let us shout aloud to the Rock of our salvation.” (Psalm 95:1 NIV)
ROC (Rely on Christ) is a multi-church high school age youth group that meets on Wednesdays from 8:30-9:45PM in the Grace Gospel Church sanctuary.
We are so thankful for Jeff’s many years of gospel labors and investment in the youth of Grace Gospel Church and of the broader Body of Christ in our area.
info@gracegospelchurchmn.com
Pastor
Tim Miller
“Command and teach these things. Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith and in purity. Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to preaching and to teaching…. Be diligent in these matters; give yourself wholly to them, so that everyone may see your progress. Watch your life and doctrine closely. Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers.” (1 Tim. 4:11-13, 15-16 NIV)
Tim and his wife, Emily, are so thankful to be a part of the Grace Gospel family. They have a heart to see people established in the way of Christ crucified and made ready for Jesus’ return.
pastor@gracegospelchurchmn.com
Our Beliefs
The Bible: The Bible, containing 66 books of the Old and New Testaments, is the infallible Word of God, written under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit and having supreme and final authority on all matters to which it speaks. It is inerrant in the original manuscripts and contains all the words God intended for His people to have in order to trust and obey Him. (E.g., Prov. 30:5; Rom. 16:25-26; 2 Tim. 3:16; Heb. 4:12; 2 Pet. 1:20-21)
The Trinity: God is three persons — Father, Son, and Holy Spirit —existing forever in one divine essence. (E.g., John 1:1; Rom. 9:5; 1 Cor. 8:6; 2 Cor. 13:14; Eph. 4:4-6)
Jesus Christ: Jesus the Messiah is both fully God and fully man, one Son, Lord, and Messiah made known in two natures without confusion, without change, without separation, without division (in accordance with the Definition of Chalcedon [451 AD]). The eternal Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us. (E.g., Jn. 1:1, 14; Rom. 9:5; Ph. 2:5-11; Col. 2:9; Rev. 1:8, 17; 22:16)
Salvation: There is salvation in no other than Jesus. The forgiveness of sins is accessed only through the atoning blood of Jesus shed on the cross. Justification, sanctification, glorification, reconciliation (and all other NT images of salvation) are by God’s grace/gift and through faith. (E.g., Ac. 4:12; Eph. 1:17; Col. 1:14; Heb. 9-13; 1 Pet. 1:19; Rev. 5:9)
Gifts of the Spirit: All the gifts and ministries of the Holy Spirit are operative in the church today and are to be eagerly desired. The gifts are to be exercised and administered not in a spirit of self-exaltation, but in love and humility for the edification and well-being of others. (E.g., Rom.12; 1 Cor. 12-14; Eph. 4)
Sacraments: The two sacraments of the church are water baptism and the Lord's supper. Water baptism is for believers, who are to be baptized in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. (Babies are dedicated rather than baptized.) In communion the elements of bread and wine, which represent Jesus’ body and blood, are taken in remembrance of His sacrifice on the cross. (E.g., Matt. 26:26-29; 28:19; Acts 2:38; 8:12, 36-38; Rom. 6:1-4; 1 Cor. 10:16, 11:23-25)
Church Governance: Church leaders are to be selected on the basis of the qualifications delineated in the New Testament. While women are to be enthusiastically encouraged and fully equipped to bring glory to Christ through their engagement in different kinds of ministry, the function of elder/overseer is restricted to men. (e.g., 1 Tim. 2-3 and Tit. 1)
Church’s Mission: The primary mandate of the church in this age to make disciples of Jesus, baptizing them and teaching them to obey all that Jesus has commanded, in preparation for His return. (e.g., Matt. 28:18-20; 1 Cor. 2:8; Eph. 5:27; Tit. 2:11-14)
The Return of Jesus: At the end of this present evil age Jesus the Messiah will return bodily to the earth to raise the dead, judge the world, restore all things to a state of perfect order, and set up His Kingdom from Jerusalem, just as the prophets foretold. The righteous will inherit the Kingdom of God in resurrected bodies, and the wicked will ultimately be thrown into the Lake of Fire in resurrected bodies. (E.g., Is. 2; 11; 40-66; Dan. 2; 7; 12; Matt. 19:28-30; 25:31-46; Lk. 14:14; Jn. 5:28-29; Ac. 3:19-21; 24:15; 1 Cor. 15; 1 Th. 4:13-18; 1 Pet 1; Rev. 1-3; 11:15-19; 14:9-10; 19-22)
Creation Order: God, as the Creator of all things, is the one who defines and orders all reality. Humanity consists of two genders, which, according to His design, are intricately and inseparably tied to biology. Marriage is the covenantal union of one man and one woman for life. All sexual relations outside of a covenantal marital relationship between one biological man and one biological woman are considered by the Creator to be outside of His will and design for the world and are, therefore, sinful in His eyes. The Creator’s call for humanity to conform to His good design for His world is, from His supremely authoritative perspective, an act of love, not hate. Human beings are not authorized by the Creator to define human identity outside of His design. (Gen. 1-3)