Meet The Pastor
Pastor / Elder Smiles Welch
My name is Smiles Welch, Pastor of Preaching and Vision at GTC. The Lord saved both me and my wife in 1997 when we were only 18 and 19 years old, just 10 days after we met. From that day, His transforming grace has proven faithful to us and to our 3 (now grown) sons, as the gospel of God has continued to refine us, conforming us into the image of His Son Jesus Christ. We are incredibly thankful for His faithfulness to us.
In September of 1997, as baby Christians who were traveling around the Country, with no place to call "home", the Lord led us through Athens, Ohio. We were here for a few days before He led us back out on the road to spread the gospel to other people all over the United States. But as soon as we left Athens we started saying to one another about how one day we needed to start a church in Athens. We talked about it every day, dreaming and praying, having a confidence that the Lord would bring it to pass in His time... we just had no idea what His timing was going to be... and we had no idea who the pastor was going to be.
In the Summer of 2000 the Lord, in His wisdom, had us settle down for what ended up being 9 years in Arcata, CA. Our very first day in town we attended a small church, which ended up being our church home for the entire time we lived there. We weren't there for more than 2 months before the Lord had very personally called me to pastoral ministry. Our middle son had just been born at the time. That began a process of being discipled very intentionally by my pastor there, as God matured me in Biblical knowledge, wisdom, understanding, and (most importantly) love. I began a small landscaping business to provide for my family during those years, as my precious wife got to stay home and homeschool our 3 amazing sons. Those years had their challenges, like all years do, but God saw fit to ordain them for our good and for His glory... even if we couldn't see some of His good purposes until much later.
In 2009, after hearing through the years about our hearts' desire to go plant a church in Athens, our church was led by the Lord to prayerfully send us out on His way. As we followed the Lord's lead, we discovered over time that there was still much sanctification needed in our lives before we would be ready to plant a church. So, in His faithfulness, He continued to have us serve in what ended up being a total of 3 different churches over the next 15 years. I served as an elder and worship leader for many of those years, but our hearts could never escape that one day we would be planting.
By the time the Spring of 2024 had rolled along, I knew we had everything in place to plant, and that the time was right around the corner. Literally all that was needed was a place to meet. I had all of my "feelers" out, considering all options and paying very close attention to the Holy Spirit's leading. In July of that year I came home to an email from my lawyer/friend, who had known that we were looking for a place. His email said that he had a client who has been taking care of an empty church building for 16 years, just a few minutes away from my house, and the client wanted to know if he knew of anyone who wanted to start a church. He said he would gladly give the building to a new church plant! Well, long story short, before the month was over we were sitting in that lawyer's office transferring ownership of the building over to the name of "Grace and Truth Church of Athens"! The incredibly beautiful and well-maintained building was free, and the lawyers didn't charge for their time, so all we had to pay was $34 to the County Auditor and $0.50 to the County Recorder! And by God's providence, Grace and Truth Church had it's first service on August 25, 2024! A dream and vision that God had put in mine and my wife's hearts 27 years earlier, when we were baby Christians, had truly come to pass! What a testimony of His faithfulness!
If you are looking for a church home where truly glorifying God in all that we do is our highest aim, then I would encourage you to visit us. GTC is an amazingly loving church family, treating everyone who walks in our doors like family. Our study of God's Word goes deep, which is the foundation of all the good fruit that God is growing in, among, and through us as we seek His face together. Come join us any time. It may or may not be the right church home that you've been needing.
God bless you. To God alone be all the glory!