October 27, 2026
DAWSONVILLE, Ga. — Grace Community Church is in the midst of a months-long pastoral transition in which founding pastor Ray Rhodes and his successor, David Bunce, are serving alongside one another before Rhodes steps away from the pastorate.
In a relay race, teammates briefly run together as one passes the baton to the next. That procedure mirrors what is happening at Grace Community Church.
“I can’t tell you how delighted I am to pass the baton to a long-time friend and trusted, like-minded pastor,” Rhodes said.
Early this year, Rhodes, who founded Grace Community Church 21 years ago, announced that he would be transitioning out of the pastorate at the Dawsonville church. His plan was to remain as pastor until a new pastor was chosen.
By mid-summer, Bunce had been called as the new pastor. He, his wife, Jessica, and their three children arrived in August, beginning a period in which he and Rhodes have shared pastoral and preaching responsibilities.
Lovett H. Weems, writing for the Lewis Center for Church Leadership, explains, “Despite the prevalence of pastoral moves, often little time is spent reflecting on all the issues at stake for many people during such transitions.”
A smooth transition can minimize the disruption that accompanies a pastoral change and prepare a congregation for its next season of ministry.
The months of overlap have allowed Rhodes and Bunce to reassure the congregation that the church’s theological convictions and commitment to the Word of God will remain unchanged.
Rhodes has endeared himself to the people of Grace Community through his compassion for people, his winsome personality and sense of humor, as well as his expository preaching.
A longtime Charles Spurgeon enthusiast, Rhodes wrote his doctoral thesis at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary on the marriage and spirituality of Charles and Susannah Spurgeon. He has also written three books related to the Spurgeons, including “Susie: The Life and Legacy of Susannah Spurgeon,” “Yours Till Heaven,” and the recently completed 720-page “Spurgeon: The Man Beyond the Pulpit.”
As Bunce looks to the future, he sees both opportunity and a need for more space. Grace Community averages about 140 people for Sunday morning worship and meets in a strip mall at 256 Beartooth Parkway.
“This area is growing at a rapid pace, and there are people here from all over the world with different languages and backgrounds,” Bunce said. “We need to focus on them and others who are coming into our area and tell them of Jesus’ love and saving grace.”
Bunce, 34, is a native Floridian who trusted Jesus as his Savior when he was 8 years old and was nurtured in the faith by his Christian parents.
He united with First Baptist Church in Jacksonville as a college student at Trinity Baptist College, now Trinity College of Jacksonville, and served as a youth minister at one of the church’s campuses while working on his undergraduate degree.
Bunce briefly pursued acting as a young adult before sensing God’s call to ministry. He later earned a master’s degree and doctorate at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Ky.
“I also gained formative experience working as an intern under Dr. Albert Mohler on his daily cultural commentary program, ‘The Briefing,’” Bunce said.
Before coming to Dawsonville, Bunce served as senior pastor of Liberty Baptist Church in Auburn, Ky., and associate pastor of Geist Community Church in McCordsville, Ind.
Jessica also holds a master’s degree from Southern Seminary. The couple has three children, Susannah, Daniel, and Peter.
Bunce and Rhodes developed a long-term personal and professional friendship before serving together at Grace Community.
“Dr. Rhodes is a thoughtful, purposeful man who is generous and kind,” Bunce said. “He is witty and humorous but consistently shows me that he is always willing to give of himself for the sake of others.
“Working with him has been refreshing and uplifting. I simply want to build on the great spiritual foundation he has established here at Grace Community Church.”
Rhodes plans to devote more time to his personal ministry, Nourished in the Word Ministries, after completing the transition.
In a “Transition” document on the church’s website, Rhodes wrote, “If you know David and Jessica, you will surely believe them to be people of deep faith, sound doctrine, and great joy.”
But Rhodes identified one potential complication.
“The only hindrance in this process is David’s football loyalty,” he said. “But we believe that once he is more exposed to the Dawgs and the beauty of real football that he will see the light and turn away from the Gators. Floridians can change, we hope.”
Bunce responded, “It concerns me that people in Georgia don’t even know how to spell ‘dogs.’”
Share with others
