Building SWAP with KingsWay

Pressing Ahead and Timeline

What is the SWAP?

Kingsway Community Church (KW) approached us and has offered to exchange its facility for Grace Bible Church’s facility. We have agreed in concept to a sale involving the exchange of our facility and property (assessed at $3.4MM), and some amount of cash yet to be determined in negotiation.

Why are we considering this SWAP?

Four main considerations obliged us to evaluate this SWAP with Kingsway.

  1. GBC has become crowded in our current facility, with  increasing numbers in both membership and attendance, such that parking has become wholly bottlenecked.

  2. KW is offering their property to us at a significant discount from the market value, because of their desire to see Biblical gospel ministry continue on their property.

  3. The facility on Sovereign Grace Drive provides a much larger auditorium, more and larger classrooms, nearly double the amount of parking spaces, and about three times as much acreage for potential expansions. Overflow parking is available across the street at the High School.

  4. God appears to be expanding/growing our church body in significant ways, but especially numerically. We believe the KW facility would better allow us to continue to make more disciples for Jesus Christ. If the property is used the way we envision, the eternal impact on not only the people the Lord has already sent to us, but also to those He may sovereignly choose to send our way, could be spiritual fruit that none of us can really see at present. Our zip code is growing and people are looking for a place to worship that teaches and preaches God's word.  The future is coming fast and it would be wise for us to anticipate that reality.

After careful deliberation, our eldership unanimously agreed to pursue this opportunity. Additionally, nearly 90% of our membership expressed their support for the SWAP this summer pending our additional review and consideration of the financial parameters and other factors.

What are we trying to accomplish?

This SWAP accomplishes three primary objectives.

  1. KW’s facility accommodates our growing congregation and influx of new attenders with more parking and a much larger auditorium. This larger space could enable us to merge our two services into a single, unified service, if desired. At the same time, we could have space for our added visitors, some of whom have driven away because of a lack of space (especially parking).

  2. The added classroom space facilitates more children’s classes, along with the capacity for more, and more regular, adult education classes.

  3. The overall additional space and its design provides potential for future ministry expansions: added structures for ministry training, counseling training and offering conferences for the sake of expository preaching, counseling, missions, and evangelism.

What is the timetable for the SWAP? [UPDATED 4/9/26]

We anticipate the following outline of next steps:

MARCH

We are under contract! KW and GBC have signed our respective “Purchase and Sale Agreement”s on Tuesday, March 10th. For the month of March, we’re asking our body to give their committed amounts to pay-off our mortgage by April 3rd.

APRIL

Through the sacrificial generosity of the Grace Body, the Lord raised 1.4M toward our mortgage and SWAP expenses. Praise Christ! We are now able to move forward with the financial “deal” to SWAP facilities. Closing our respective properties is scheduled for Monday, May 18th.

During this month of April, GBC will begin some initial improvements at Sovereign Grace Drive. Furthermore, our churches will, at this time, finalize moving details and dates. GBC will need many volunteers to help the transfer happen, from planning, coordination, and the physical transfer of lots of stuff! Please reach out to our transition team (James Lock, Wendy Routhier, and Marcos Silva) with ideas and offers to help this exciting transition. See this form to volunteer.

MAY

The properties and funds will be transferred between Kingsway and Grace Bible. GBC will move and begin worshipping altogether at 14111 Sovereign Grace Drive Midlothian, VA 23114. Plans have come-together for structuring our services there (times and classes), and we are coordinating with Kingsway about a joint-service as we prepare to transition to our new church homes.

Turing to May, efforts will begin on property/facility improvements along with initial moving preparations. The first two weeks will involve initial *improvements on house and facilities. Many volunteers will be needed for these various projects. Again, you can volunteer here: https://gbc.onechurchsoftware.com/public/forms/169.

After closing on May 18th, our moving efforts will begin in earnest! This move has been planned and coordinated by our Transition Team. This move will offer many opportunities to serve. We’re collecting volunteers and times to serve, right here: https://gbc.onechurchsoftware.com/public/forms/163.

We pray that this, along with whole process, will exalt our unity in Christ and in the gospel of grace alone, by faith alone, in Christ alone! To Christ alone by the glory!

[To see a full timeline of where the Lord has brought us through this SWAP, click here:]

How can you help Grace Bible Church press ahead?

You can pray earnestly with us, that we would be wise stewards with the financial resources, property, space, and people that God has graciously given to us. Pray as well for all parties to remain united to Christ, and focused on our mission to make Christ known in Midlothian, and the nations.

We will also need the faithful and sacrificial giving of God's people in order to have the necessary funds to maximize this SWAP opportunity that God has blessed us with. 

We need many willing, sacrificial servants. Service opportunities abounds as we look to move in at Sovereign Grace Drive, from the physical labor of moving and cleaning, to the initial improvements and modifications of the property.

If you can help out with initial maintenance projects, complete this form: https://gbc.onechurchsoftware.com/public/forms/169.

Consider how might help with the move by completing this “Moving” form: https://gbc.onechurchsoftware.com/public/forms/163.

This is a most exciting opportunity for our growing to church to serve our own body, and the surrounding community, and the increasing numbers trying to worship with us. We want to establish a place where GBC can gather, and hold out the gospel of grace with clarity, by means of that consistent and comprehensive exposition of God’s most powerful word—through the pulpit, classrooms, fellowship, and studies. And to think too, how our current facility will bless and serve another faithful gospel church excites us all!

All for Christ’s name!

Past Updates and Info: