.png)
gracechristianchurchinc.org
We are Grace
In February of 1971, five families from Foscoe Christian Church embarked on a heartfelt journey to establish a Christian community in the Vilas area, driven by a shared dream of sharing God's love. Over the years, this vision grew—land was purchased, and the church was known as “First Christian Church of Boone.”
In July of 2023, after deep reflection and renewal, our congregation voted to adopt the new name “Grace Christian Church.” This change reflects our renewed focus: to passionately share the grace-filled Gospel of Jesus Christ with our community and beyond.
But one thing remains the same—we are a warm, welcoming, nondenominational, ecumenical, Congregational house of worship committed to growing more into the likeness of Jesus Christ. Everyone is invited—regardless of where you are on your faith journey—to join us in this journey of grace and transformation.
Come discover a church that feels like family. We can’t wait to welcome you!
Church History
The Stone-Campbell Tradition
Depending on whom you ask, our first tradition of Christianity was either born at an 1801 camp revival at the Cane Ridge Church in Kentucky, pastored by Barton Stone, or possibly on January 1, 183, when the leaders of two rapidly growing American religious movements shook hands, bringing together the Christians of Barton Stone and the Disciples of Christ of Alexander Campbell in mission and ministry. Either way, this early 1800s movement was born out of a conviction that divisions between Christians—manifested denominations and religious hierarchy—are barriers to experiencing the truth that:
The Church of Christ upon is essentially, intentionally, and constitutionally one; consisting of all those in every place that profess their faith in Christ . . . [and we declare that] division among Christians is a horrid wrongdoing, fraught with many evils.
—Thomas Campbell, 1809
The Stone-Campbell Movement was based on an academic understanding of the Scriptures. Fundamental to that view was the commitment of people who saw the Church as a barrier-free community of believers.
These disciples swept the early frontier and became a driving force in American Christianity, establishing the first-ever uniquely American Christian tradition! They quickly became activists promoting missions and cooperative work among all denominations. They emerged as advocates for women’s suffrage, the rapid abolishment of slavery, care for orphans and in need, temperance, anti-war movements, and many other causes stemming from their understanding of the Love and Grace of God for all people. The rapid growth of congregations and followers became a religious phenomenon in late 19th and early 20th-century American culture that has not been duplicated. The early founders came almost entirely from the Presbyterian tradition. Powerful leaders soon joined them from the Baptist and Methodist traditions.
The entire history of the Independent Christian Church movement has demonstrated a profound commitment to keeping doors and hearts open to all expressions of faith and mission, representing a remarkable diversity of beliefs and views. From here, the mission of this Movement would sadly splinter into three distinct branches: the Churches of Christ, Independent Christian Churches and Churches of Christ (Instrumental), and the Disciples of Christ (Christian Church). The Church of Christ represented the far-right of the movement, restricting Christian worship to those practices not directly mentioned in the New Testament. Because of this, the Church of Christ does not use mechanical instruments in worship; some of them even go as far as not allowing the building of fellowship halls or the use of individual cups for Communion. In contrast, the Disciples of Christ (Christian Church) formed an official denomination, evolving the ideas of both Stone and Campbell into a movement that would become highly regionalized. Many of the churches, including the precursor to Grace Christian, became "Independents," refusing to align themselves with the the fundamentalist Churches of Christ.