Lead Pastor Michael Goacher

Describe how you came to faith in Christ:
I came to faith in Christ while in college at the age of nineteen. I wasn't raised in a Christian home and really had an aversion to anything related to God or church growing up. As I entered young adulthood, though, God began drawing me to himself. I visited a friend's evening church service and God convicted me of my sin and need for the forgiveness, life and love Christ offers. That night I prayed to trust Christ as Savior and asked God to reveal himself to me. He did and over the years Christ has changed my life, my world, everything.

Family:
Most of my family still lives in Texas, where I was born and raised. By God's grace, I also have family here in South Orange County and enjoy spending time with them when possible. Though I'm still a bachelor, I pray God will bring the woman he's chosen into my life in his time so we can serve and glorify him together.

Education and ministry experience:
Shortly after coming to faith in Christ, I felt led to serve God with my life. I didn't know how I would serve God, but I switched majors and graduated from the University of Texas at Austin with a Bachelors in Speech Communication. Those studies helped me understand communication and develop skills to communicate more effectively.

After college I served on the staff of Mission Waco, an urban poor ministry in Waco, Texas. My time at Mission Waco was instrumental for identifying my spiritual gifts. By teaching Bible Studies at the men's residential drug recovery house I discovered a gift for teaching. By walking with people through their difficulties I discovered the gift of shepherding and caring for people in their walk with God. By helping anywhere as needs demanded, I discovered the gift of serving. While ministering in a para-church ministry, God also burdened my heart for the local church.

Having served on the staff of Mission Waco for two years, I wanted more formal Biblical and theological training to be able to teach and serve the church in pastoral ministry. God opened the door and I moved to Dallas where I completed studies for a Masters in Christian Education at Dallas Theological Seminary. My time at DTS was an incredible experience of being transformed in my mind and my heart. It was also during my years at DTS that God began showing me the extraordinary meaning of his grace.

Once I had more formal training in the Bible, I interned as a Singles Ministry Associate for a year at First Evangelical Free Church of Austin, which was my old college church. It was a blessing to go back to a church that helped me grow in my relationship with Christ and then serve in its leadership. My time at FEFC gave me the chance to preach weekly and lead the singles ministry. It also helped me learn about church processes and transitions as the church continued to grow and adjust to their ever changing needs.

When my internship concluded I searched for a permanent ministry position. God divinely opened a door for me at Grace Community Church after I visited my family in this area. In May of 2004 I began serving the youth in the High School ministry. In January of 2005, our Senior Pastor received a call to another ministry. In the immediate need, I offered to serve as Lead Bible Teacher in the pulpit for weekend services while the search for a new Senior Pastor ensued. During that first year of preaching in Grace's services, and through the encouragement of many at Grace, God led me to apply for the position myself. After much prayer and discussion the church body extended the call to me to serve as the Senior Pastor in January 2006, where I have been serving to this day.

In 2010 I entered the Doctor of Ministry program at Talbot School of Theology where I am sharpening my understanding about discipleship in the 21st century. My goal through these studies is to enhance all that we do in our discipleship at Grace.

What is your role at GCC?
My role as Lead Pastor of Grace Community Church is to lead our church into spiritual health and effectiveness under the guidance of God's word and the partnership of the Holy Spirit. This involves aligning the ministries of the church, caring for the flock, and equipping others to fulfill the role God has prepared for them in his master plan to glorify himself.

What you are most passionate about in ministry at GCC?
I am most passionate about people understanding God more clearly through the teaching of God's word in the Bible, then seeing them develop a God-centered life where God becomes the focus and drive of their life. This has developed into the theme of all of my teaching and ministry.

A God-centered life is a life whose starting point is God--who he is, what he's done, what he's doing and what he's promised to do--and then living in response to that. God has taken the initiative in everything in creation and we can only respond to his greatness. "We love because he first loved us" (1 John 4:19). Only when we see God for who he is, his power, his holiness, his wisdom, his love, his grace, his infinite perfections, then we will be able to respond and live appropriately. It's all for his highest glory and our greatest satisfaction.

Favorite scripture:
All scripture is God-breathed, so they are all equally important. Paul's doxology in Romans 11:36 has really struck me this past year. "For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be the glory forever! Amen." So everything is from God, is through God, and is to God. And it's all for his glory. Forever. Wow.

Favorite books:
I'm serious when I say the Bible is my favorite book. Nothing else comes close. But there are human authors who God has used to deepen my love for him. Henry Blackaby & Claude King's "Experiencing God" revolutionized my walk with Christ. That's a book I wish I would have read the first year I came to faith. I like John Piper and would recommend anything he has written, especially "Desiring God." I also really enjoy A. W. Tozer, "The Pursuit of God," "The Knowledge of the Holy." J.I. Packer's "Knowing God" is incredible.

For study, Wayne Grudem's "Systematic Theology" is such a refreshingly written and worshipful volume on Christian Theology. My favorite commentary is from one of my favorite Bible professors at Dallas Theological Seminary, Dr. Thomas Constable. It's available online at soniclight.org. He compiled over seven thousand pages of notes on the Bible after teaching his classes for thirty years at DTS and made them available for missionaries in the field and others who may not be able to attend seminary. I also use the "Expositor's Bible Commentary," which has dozens of scholarly Evangelical contributors from a variety of backgrounds.

Favorite music:
My favorite music that expressly focuses on God includes Chris Tomlin, Matt Redman, the Passion Conference CD's, Tim Hughes, Delirious, Hillsongs Australia, Caedman's Call, Switchfoot, Sara Groves, and most recently, The El Ninos. I'm a huge fan of Mozart, Bach and other instrumental music, like Salsa and Meringue. I like country artist Sara Evans, classic rock, funky disco music and movie soundtracks.

Favorite food:
Leftovers.

Favorite hobbies:
Writing long bios on my church's website. Actually, I enjoy playing the guitar and singing, exercising, reading, photography, watching DVD's and listening to the commentaries to understand what the artists were trying to communicate. I like spending time with friends and family and having low-key evenings at home when possible. There are also times when I do manual labor around the church grounds too, like digging, hauling, painting or cutting or pruning trees.

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