John Heyward

Pastor John grew up outside of Washington, D.C. in Manassas, Virginia. In 1981 as a freshman at Virginia Tech, he trusted Christ as his Lord and Savior through the ministry of Campus Crusade for Christ. He graduated with a degree in Civil Engineering in 1984. Following graduation, he joined the staff of Campus Crusade for Christ and was assigned to Ohio State, where he met his wife, Katie, who was also a first year staff member with Campus Crusade for Christ.

They were married in June of 1985 and began serving with CCC at Indiana University; the Lord then called them to seminary to get further training in biblical studies. They graduated from Columbia Biblical Seminary and Graduate School of Missions (which is now Columbia International University) in June of 1994. John earned a Master of Divinity degree and Katie earned a one-year Bible certificate.

After seminary, John served as a youth pastor of Grace Evangelical Free Church in Troy, Michigan for two years. In October of 1993, he met representatives of Grace Community Church at conference sponsored by the Evangelical Free Church of America, and by June of 1994, he had been called to serve as its first full-time pastor. John's main priorities are preaching, teaching, counseling and shepherding.

John and Katie have two children, Ann (20) and Tim (15); they both love living in Lima and being part of the Grace Community Church family.

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