Austin Church Plant


Church Planting Ministry

In Partnership with Grace Advance, the Church Planting Ministry of Grace Community Church, we have committed to planting churches in Central Texas as a response to its unprecedented growth, to reach the lost with the Good News of Jesus Christ.

Missionary Approach

Our approach to church planting is missionary minded. Far too many churches only begin to think about church planting when they reach a certain size or fiscal budget, but we want to change that. We aim to partner with local, like-minded churches to support church planting by identifying, sending out, and supporting men to plant churches in growing communities. Any church, regardless of size, can contribute to reaching the lost in ways they previously thought only big churches could.

Grace Advance Texas (GATX)

Meet Julian and Garrett, our first two full-time interns in an initiative called Grace Advance Texas (GATX). Recognizing the great need for churches in Central Texas, the leaders of Grace Advance sent Julian and Garrett to be mentored by Pastor Eric Dodson and the Elders of Grace Community Baptist Church in Elgin, TX. These men will serve as interns, receive practical training in pastoral ministry, and work towards launching the first GATX church in January of 2027.

How You Can Help

Pray. The best way for you to help is to pray. Pray for God to save the lost in Austin and Central Texas. Pray for the Lord to strengthen Julian and Garrett, as well as for the Lord to raise up more “workers for the Harvest.” Pray for the Lord’s provision for GATX.

Give. Our goal is to raise support for Julian and Garrett, so they can focus full-time on training and planting. Please prayerfully consider giving to support this work.

Tell. Another way you can help is to let other like-minded believers know about this work. Tell you friends and family. Tell your neighbors. Tell the leaders of your church. Ask them if they’d be interested in praying for and supporting this missionary-minded church planting work.

Julian Belk

I lived in Austin, Texas, for eight years before attending TMS. It’s where I met my wife, Lesley, began serving in my local church, and understood that—while I was eager to teach God’s Word—I needed to be equipped to teach the Word accurately. After discovering John MacArthur’s teaching on Grace to You, I began looking for that kind of teaching in Austin. Sadly, we quickly became discouraged by the small number of Austin churches committed to . . . 

Garrett West

When my wife Ashley and I left the Midwest to attend The Master’s Seminary, we were uncertain of our plans after seminary. The church we left (where we met and got married) was planted right before we began attending. In our nine years there, we saw firsthand the difficulty of starting a church. It required wisdom, prayer, and trust in the Lord. We wondered if God might use that experience . . . 

Interested in learning more, or supporting GATX?

Partner Ministries

Grace Community Church

John MacArthur assumed the pastorate of Grace in February 1969. Prior to this, John had been assistant pastor in the church his father led in Burbank; he had also traveled widely . . .

The Master's Seminary

Since 1986, The Master’s Seminary and Grace Community Church have partnered together to train the future generation of faithful . . . 

Grace Advance

Grace Community Church has always been engaged in the effort to provide and equip pastors for the church around the world. Over the past twenty-five years we have trained men . . .