Senior Pastor Bruce Grecco and his wife, Rebecca, planted Summit Church in San Diego eight years ago.
As a Foursquare-ordained minister of a nondenominational church, Bruce has found ways to integrate their church’s calling and mission with Foursquare’s leadership and principles.
In this interview, the pastor of Summit Church explains how they first connected with the Foursquare family, and why they want to stay connected.
How did you first connect with Foursquare?
I’m a transplant, but my wife grew up in Foursquare. Her parents were Northwest District supervisors many years ago. While in Bible school, my mother-in-law actually did research for Aimee Semple McPherson’s sermons.
After Rebecca and I married, we spent plenty of time with her mother at district conferences, so I met a lot of people in Foursquare. After we started our church in 2008, I asked myself who had impacted my life the most, and it was Foursquare. So I thought: “You know what? It’s time to make the shift.”
Which Foursquare leaders have been important sources of encouragement to you?
Not long after we planted our church, my wife and I met with Glenn Burris Jr. and Sterling Brackett. That was when the discussion of Foursquare Association came up, and Glenn reminded us that the cornerstone of Angelus Temple is “dedicated unto the cause of world-wide and inter-denominational evangelism.”
We went away that afternoon really honored to have met these guys, and impressed by the spirit of humility and openness. We wanted a spiritual covering and a community we resonated with. To have both of these things and be able to pursue God’s calling for our church was such a blessing.
How was Foursquare Connection 2016 in Hawaii?
I really loved this last conference. The QuickTalks were amazing, especially hearing from guys leading churches of all sizes and from different contexts. The overall tone of our leadership is very humble, inclusive and God-honoring.
Also, Foursquare’s global focus is so important because I think it keeps the church here encouraged. There’s just a momentum in Foursquare that God’s breathing life into, and that excites me.
How is the Reimagine Foursquare initiative changing things for you and your church?
It gave us clarity. About six years ago, I had our then district supervisor, Kimberly Dirmann, come to our church to see who we are, even though we’re nondenominational and an Association church. I wanted her to know that I wanted to be Foursquare. I asked her, “I know my church is independent, but where do we fit?”
Now, I feel like I’ve finally moved out of the waiting room and into a solid identity. I think Foursquare’s done a brilliant job of putting together a bylaw change that doesn’t compromise their values but still draws a wider circle for people like us who resonate with Foursquare but are in different situations.
What do you envision for your church’s future?
We still meet in a high school theater, so our next big step is finding a permanent location. We know God has another home for us, so we’re praying for that transition.
In the meanwhile, I know exactly what the next level of involvement with Foursquare could look like in the future, and how I can move forward as our church progresses from a community church to a covenant church.
