History of Missions At Grace Church

As Grace Church (then known as Des Moines Baptist Church) grew in the mid-1980s, one of the first priorities for the young church was missions. The strategy behind our approach to missions in the 80s was simple: we called a missions agency and told them to send us a list of missionaries who needed support. We started with a handful of B.I.M.I. missionaries serving in various parts of the world. Our average monthly support level was $25.

During one of our early missions conferences, Pastor David Nelms led the church to begin praying that God would call one of our own families to serve as foreign missionaries. Pastor Phil and Bonnie Winfield began praying along with the church that God would call someone from our church family to foreign missions. As they prayed, God answered, and they stepped forward to become Grace Church's first "home-sent" missionaries. In 1988 the Winfields sold all of their belongings, raised the necessary support, and in July of 1989 they began their ministry in Lima, Peru.

God used Pastor Phil and Bonnie's step of faith to challenge many more couples in the years ahead. During the 1990s we were privileged as a church to send Rick and Nicky Davis, Walt and Zelda Davis, Terry and Lori Emmons, Dan and Jodi Appleby, Gary DeGraaf, and Greg and Sherry Davidson and, more recently, Barron and Heidi Geiger and Dean and Karen Dawson.

Praise God for His answer to our prayers so many years ago, and we thank Him for the faithful couples who have heard His call and have gone to the field as missionaries.

We would like to also thank the following people who have led our missions emphasis at Grace in the past:

• Pastor Phil Winfield (1984-1988)
• Pastor Rob Jones (1987-1995)
• Marja Waldon (1995-1999)
• Pastor Chuck Morris (1999-present)