2017 Dreams and Plans

Pictured: The road...  it goes on forever and we still love it.

We are looking forward to a break over the Christmas / New Year period but already expectant for the opportunities for the new year. If you’d like a concert, Shed Night, Church service or evangelistic event in your town please let us know. We are mapping the year schedule at the moment. 

One thing is for certain we are available to go anywhere and serve the local church in its task of evangelism. So please let us know if we can help serve in your community.

Nullarbor to Nashville - and Slim Dusty Project

Pictured: The replica of the original Nullarbor Roadhouse on the Eyre Highway across Australia.

It’s rather ironic that we have just travelled across the Nullarbor Plain and in the next two weeks will be in Nashville Tennessee to record a Slim Dusty Tribute album. 

We were able to document some of the trip including a performance of the song 'Nullarbor to Nashville’ in front of the old Nullarbor Roadhouse shed. That will be out on YouTube soon!!  

We greatly appreciate your prayers for this project. If you’d like to partner with us financially with either a donation or a loan we would be very happy to talk. We are about 50% of the budget at the moment and excited with the potential. 

Thank you for your prayers and interest...  Contact: office@stevegrace.com

The Great Australian Bight

Pictured: The 'Head of the Bight', is a spectacular landscape where the continent of Australia meets the Southern Ocean.

One of the great privileges of the missions trips we have been doing for 30 years is the spectacular destinations along the way. The drive across one of Australia’s loneliest roads is the Eyre Highway on the southern edge of Australia. It takes about three days and for many the Nullarbor is dead straight and boring. But it also has some unique places, incredible wildlife and exposes you to the magnitude of this great country. The Nullarbor makes you feel very small as your journey across the endless treeless plains and barren horizon. I’ve lost count of the times we’ve crossed the Nullarbor… But it’s different every time!! We are looking forward to our next mission to Western Australia and South Australia. Thanks to our supporters who help out with fuel costs and vehicle maintenance along the way.

Thank You Esperance

Pictured: The legendary Sonny Graham sharing a song at our Esperance concert last week.

On short notice the community of Esperance in Western Australia hosted a concert last Wednesday night at the Wongutha Aboriginal Christian School north of town. Over 200 people turned up for a big BBQ and a concert. The enthusiasm and support from the staff and students was inspiring and local churches and the Christian Motorcycle Association CMA all turned up to support the event. It turned out to be an amazing night of ministry. One of the highlights was a song by an old elder, Sonny Graham who loves to sing country Gospel. Sonny was born near Balladonia on the Nullarbor Plain back in the 1940’s and is one of the true Indigenous statesmen of the region. 

Songwriting Workshops

Pictured: Steve with Wendy Robertson working on the final lyrics to the new Wongutha School song before the concert.

It’s always a big challenge and quite an adrenalin rush when you stand before a high school assembly and say “lets write a song today!!” Then get down to a good quality hour of teaching the basics of songwriting and inviting students to help create a new school anthem or a song for the community. A song is such an amazing gift to leave with a town or school as it builds confidence, loyalty and vision for the future. With the help of Wendy Robertson I was able to present a completed new school song called “The Wongutha Way” at the concert on Wednesday night. Thanks Wendy and thanks to the students, staff and teachers at Wongutha. A school for Indigenous students from every remote corner of Australia!!

30 Years of Country Towns

Pictured: Steve with the locals and families from Minnipa and Streaky Bay on the Eyre Peninsula. 

At daybreak, Jesus went out to a solitary place. The people were looking for him and when they came to where he was, they tried to keep him from leaving them. But he said, “I must proclaim the good news of the kingdom of God to the other towns also, because that is why I was sent.” And he kept on preaching throughout Judea. Luke 4:42-44

The greatest audiences in the world are people who live in rural and remote regions of Australia. I recorded my first cassette album in October 1986 and was on the road touring and serving God this time 30 years ago. Along the way there has been the honour of serving YWAM and Youth for Christ, opportunities to travel the world and sing at Billy Graham Crusades, Harvest Crusades.. serve with Compassion and Samaritan’s Purse and many other great organisations. I’ve had the privilege of singing at Hillsong church and countless other churches across the planet. But the greatest response to the message of my songs has come from the bush. From families living on the land in country towns. That’s where the greatest number of genuine decisions for Christ have been made and where people have taken up the call of the great commission.

With my wife Kerrie and our three sons Cheyne, Ryan and Jordan we have pioneered a very unique work for the Lord and we know it’s by His grace we are still going. We also know that there’s been many who have supported the vision to reach people for Christ and excite the church to mission. 30 years of hard work, miracles and vision. 

Thank you.. To everyone reading these words you have been a wonderful part of our journey and we are grateful.

My last concert for 2016 was at the Minnipa Uniting / Anglican church. Folks stayed around after church for a good feed and concert!! I was pretty honoured to be with such amazing people. A great way to be reminded this is what it’s all about. Keep focusing on the calling God has given to you and get out there and do it.

At the same time for us it’s also time to find a solitary place and have some rest after an extremely busy year. It will be the Nullarbor to Nashville to record a new album project then some rest over Christmas. Thanks for your prayers and support.

Godspeed

Steve Grace

Perth Report

Pictured: Steve with the Bathurst Family in Perth, WA

Last weekend we were back in Perth! We want to say thank you to Quinns Baptist Church for having us at their Church on Sunday. We packed out the School Hall and had a great morning Service with Tea, Coffee, Cakes and Food Platters afterwards. And a thank you to the Bathurst Family for holding a Father’s and Sons Shed Night in Wangara. Dean Bathurst allowed us to park our motorhome in his shed for the past six weeks while the Crossing Australia mission was on. Thank you mate. We are so honoured to have faithful friends across the country willing to help out in the practical things along the way. See you again in 2017!

Crossing Australia

Pictured: Steve with a gathering of Baptist Pastors and their families out at Brendellan near Aramac, QLD back in 2015. 

We are praying at the moment about the future of our Australian Country Towns tours, Crossing Australia missions and remote ministry in the Outback. It’s always exciting developing new ways of reaching people for Christ and exciting churches to mission. It’s never meant to be boring! Ultimately is about the Good News of Jesus and the hope we have through faith in Him. 

Our recent motorcycle mission, Crossing Australia was not really about riding a Harley Davidson motorcycle across the deserts of Australia… It was really about exploring creative new ways to tackle the curse of depression and suicide in our country. More people die from suicide each year in Australia than from road and traffic fatalities. Crossing Australia is all about connecting with people, captivation the attention of entire communities and presenting the message of the Gospel to them in an authentic way. Please pray with us that future projects will gain the support and sponsorship of churches and organisations as we plan out some exciting missions ahead.

Tribute Album

Pictured: The legendary Slim Dusty and a map of his beloved country.

We are half way towards raising the funds for the USD$12,000 budget for the Slim Dusty Tribute album and we are still working on the best song selection that will truly honour Australia’s late king of country music. We’ve got a few weeks to go before boarding a flight to Music City USA to record these classic songs. 

We are believing that this new project will reach an audience far beyond the church walls and enable us to build a stronger relationship with the country music scene and communities across Australia. Thank you to those who have supported the vision and are willing to help in practical ways. We are believing for some great opportunities ahead! Including invitations to perform at the Tamworth Country Music Festival in January 2017. 

If you would like to support this project please email kerrie@stevegrace.com or visitstevegrace.com/donate