A Legacy of Grace in Opelika & Auburn, AL
In a world of tension and conflict, God is at work among his people in Opelika and Auburn, AL. Christian leaders, churches, and organizations regularly and intentionally move toward one another in love. Here you can find multiple prayer meetings, local conferences, joint worship services, and all kinds of collaborative ministry.
Another mark of God’s grace upon us is that in an increasingly me-centered world, there is a strong impulse among Christians here to move outward—towards their neighbors and the nations—with the love and news of Jesus. A familiar story marks our history: people are deeply impacted by the gospel and then called into vocational ministry. Many pastors, church planters, missionaries, and other Christian leaders have come out of our community. This path is well-worn.
If you dig a little deeper into the history of Auburn, you will learn that Christian unity and mission are part of its founding vision and legacy. In 1836, a group led by John Harper settled here with a vision to build a town that would be a center of education and Christian influence. He was a devout Methodist but demonstrated a generosity of spirit towards the broader body of Christ.
Christian unity and mission are an answer to Jesus' prayer, "that they may all be one… so that the world may believe that you have sent me" (John 17:21). Like the church in Antioch (Acts 11 & 13), when we honor the unity we share in Christ, it has a missional impact. It bears witness to the gospel and sends out gospel witnesses to the ends of the earth.
The path from Opelika and Auburn to the ends of the earth, however, has had an unnecessary detour. Most of those called into ministry leadership have had to go elsewhere to find the training they need, leaving behind their church, their ministry context, and the relationships that have been most formative for their Christian growth.
As pastors and leaders in our community, we believe that it shouldn't be this way. We believe that transformative learning happens best when it is holistic and highly relational. We believe that the training of Christian leaders should be rooted in the life of the local church. And we believe that God has called the church here to equip those he is calling and sending out from here.
Our vision is that by partnering together as the church in Opelika & Auburn, Alabama,
we will honor the unity we share in Jesus Christ and prepare leaders for his global mission.
Our mission is to provide accredited theological training
designed to shape the mind and heart with the gospel of Jesus Christ.