Campus Pastors
Scott and Kristi Schatzline
Founding Pastors
Mickey and Wendy Bell
The first Sunday of January 2014, a church was started in Bessemer, Alabama as a place for people to attend who might not measure up to the "Super Christian" standards. Individuals who were victims of their mistakes and wanting a place to find refuge. But this is more than just a gathering of the "messed up" people, it's a place where we are getting better each week.
Pastor Mickey launched GCB as a safe place for people to come who have been hurt by church. After a moral fall, he was forced out as a pastor and his family were kicked out of the pastor's housing with no where to go. It was at this point in their lives, God began to do something special.
Today, Mickey has a new title... Comedian Mickey Bell.
God has not only restored him but has put him on a path to travel the nations bringing cheer and hope to thousands upon thousands.
"Come as you are, just don't leave the same way you came!"
Our Mission
To simply help those who have been hurt by church or who have been turned off by organized religion. With our lively atmosphere, we will strive to give you a powerful word surrounded by great to help you grow as a person.
Our Worship
Grace Church Bessemer is a non-traditional church with a very free style of worship. We believe in letting people express themselves to God in whatever way they feel comfortable.
If you are looking for a quiet, reserved style of worship, you probably won’t enjoy our service. The Bible says in many places that God should be praised with a loud voice, and with the lifting of hands; Psalms 134, 135, 138, 144, 146, 147, 148, 149, and 150, just to name a few.
At Grace Church Bessemer we believe in worshiping God “…in Spirit and in truth,” John 4:24. With that in mind, we allow you to worship however you please as long as it lines up with the truth of God’s Word.
In a nutshell, we do not have a dead Savior, so we don’t believe in having a dead church. When you come into our service both on weekends and Wednesdays, we ask that you place your Bible and your belongings in your seat and remain standing during our time of worship with our music ministry.
At Grace Church Bessemer we don’t come to rest, but we come to worship, so please join us in our worship.
bedrock principles of grace church bessemer
1. EVANGELISM
Our number one goal is and will always be the salvation of the lost. While we specialize in attracting families, the unsaved and the unchurched, and people who want a fresh start from the mistakes they have made in their past, we want to expand to reach people from other races, cultures and socio-economic classes.
2. HOLISTIC IMPROVEMENT
We will seek the holistic improvement of each member of our ministry – spiritually, emotionally, physically and financially. We will preach and teach Biblical mandates to achieve success in all these areas. We will also make available the necessary classes, group resources and the qualified individuals to help each willing member achieve holistic improvement.
3. YOUTH EMPOWERMENT
We will empower youth in our church and community with the Word of God, programs, resources, training and state-of-the-art facilities to meet their needs.
4. OUTREACH
We will always specialize in outreach programs for hurting people (i.e. homeless, poor, those with substance abuse issues, the incarcerated, those who have suffered physical, verbal or emotional abuse, etc).
5. COMMUNITY IMPACT
We will impact the city of Bessemer and the surrounding suburbs with our online ministries, outreach campaigns, crusades, business development, city-wide events, prayer, intercession, partnerships with local schools, partnership with community, city and state officials, as well with the SBC and Bessemer Baptist Association.
6. EXCELLENCE
We will continue to be the model for an exceptional ministry in our city and in the nation. We will always strive to provide excellent customer service – in how we treat our members, visitors and guests from the moment they pull into our parking lot to when they leave, and how we respond to them when they call, email or write with requests or concerns.
7. HUMILITY & LOVE
We will stay humble and maintain the spirit of love and realness that we’ve had since our inception. We give all credit and glory to God for our success.