Grady VanWright, Lead Pastor

In the early 1980s Grady served in the United States Marine Corps in the Surveillance Target Acquisitions Platoon (which is today simply referred to as the Scout/Sniper platoon). During this period Grady served as a part of a multinational peacekeeping force that was sent into Beirut, Lebanon, where-by God’s grace-he survived the infamous bombing of the Marine barracks in October 1983. Seven months after the bombing, while in Okinawa, Japan, Grady came to faith in Jesus Christ. And a little over a decade later he became a pastor.

Grady has pastored Sovereign Grace Pearland for 14 years. He and his wife, Sonya, have been married for 19 years and have 6 children.

Apart from Scripture, what book do you most frequently re-read and why?

John Murray’s Redemption Accomplished and Applied. The reason is that I am very aware of my sinful nature and its desire to reassert dominion over my heart. In failures and victories this little book has been a constant reminder to me that “the only righteousness conceivable that will meet the requirements of our situation as sinners and meet the requirements of full and irrevocable justification is the righteousness of Christ.”

What single piece of counsel (or constructive criticism) has most improved your preaching?

The one counsel is the centrality of the gospel in preaching. Though every passage is not a gospel passage, every passage either leads to the gospel or emanates from the gospel. My job is to get to the gospel either forward or backwards.

What single bit of counsel has made the most significant difference in your leadership?

Don’t love in order to lead them, lead because you do love.

What do you do for leisure?

I love reading; watching documentaries, particularly biographies of historical figures; and the outdoors, camping, hiking, picnics, etc.