Today we’d like to introduce you to Grayson Furlough.
Hi Grayson, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
I was born and raised in Garner, North Carolina. After graduating from NC State University, I found myself in a season of uncertainty, trying to figure out what direction my life should take. With encouragement from my wife, Rachel, and a few trusted mentors, I began exploring work in the nonprofit sector. My Christian faith had always been a central part of my life, so pursuing something meaningful in that space felt like a natural next step, although I never wanted to work in a church. That led me to enroll at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary to better prepare for what kind of opportunities may lay ahead.
During that time, Rachel and I started attending Point Church in Raleigh. Through a series of unexpected circumstances, I was invited to consider a part-time role as an Assistant Pastor. Pastoring had never been a desire of mine. In fact, it was something I often said I would not do. But this opportunity felt different, like a door opening that I hadn’t planned for. With the encouragement of my wife and what felt like divine prompting, decided to accept, thinking that if it wasn’t a fit, I could always move on after a year.
It didn’t take long to realize I had found something I was deeply wired for. What started as a tentative step became a clear sense of calling. For several years, I balanced life as a student and part-time pastor while Rachel ran her e-commerce business. It was a financially tight season, often living paycheck to paycheck, but God always provided what we needed when we needed it.
Eventually, my wife and I welcomed two precious girls into the world. Around the birth of our second daughter, I graduated with my Masters of Divinity degree and joined Point Church as a full-time staff member.
As our family grew with the birth of our two daughters, I completed my Master of Divinity degree and transitioned into a full-time pastoral role at Point Church. Not long after, I was approached about the possibility of helping start a new church campus. Once again, a door had opened, and Rachel and I felt led to say yes.
As we began planning and putting together a team, those plans shifted in a significant way. What started as a campus launch became, through a series of circumstances, an invitation to plant a fully independent church. This was not something I had ever envisioned for myself. In fact, years earlier, I had taken an assessment that suggested I was not particularly suited for church planting and I was perfectly fine with that at the time. Yet here I was, being asked to step into something I had never planned.
With additional time to prepare, we officially launched Oak Community Church in Garner on January 21, 2024.
Since then, we’ve had the privilege of seeing lives changed in tangible ways—people publicly expressing their faith through baptism, a partnership with East Garner Magnet Middle School that enables us to support the staff and students, support for families facing financial hardship, and intentional care for single-parent households.
None of this has happened in isolation. It has been shaped by the steady support of my wife, Rachel, and a committed group of people who believed in the vision of building a church rooted in the gospel of Jesus Christ.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
There have been multiple challenges from personal financial struggles, uncertainty about future success, and the difficulty that comes from serving those who have experienced pain and hardship. Early on, one of the biggest surprises was the circumstances that led to Point Church asking us to plant an independent church as opposed to a campus. This had nothing to do interpersonal challenges between us. Instead, it was a strategic opportunity that seemed to come out of nowhere. Looking back, I believe it was a good thing.
Planting a church is never easy. There are always unexpected difficulties. People leave the church who you thought would be there forever. Some folks, because of personal trauma or strife, lash out at others. And resources always seem to be in short supply. And yet, in spite of human weakness, I’ve seen God show up again-and-again. Our biggest aim was to be faithful with what God had put in front of us and then to watch Him show off.
I’ve had to personally learn what it looks like to live with your hands wide open. Our plans are not always God’s plans and the tighter you hold onto things, the hard it becomes when you realize God has something else (always something better) in mind.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I serve as the lead pastor of Oak Community Church in Garner, where my primary work is helping ordinary people learn what it means to follow Jesus. That involves preaching and teaching, developing leaders, hosting events, and creating environments where people can take meaningful steps toward spiritual growth.
At Oak Community Church, we specialize in simple, relational discipleship. Our mission as a church is helping ordinary people become fully devoted followers of Jesus, not through complexity, but by participating in what we call the 3 C’s of discipleship: Connect, Cultivate, Contribute. We want to help people connect with God and others in genuine relationship, cultivate spiritual maturity in everyone at every stage in life, and learn to contribute to God’s kingdom in their own unique way.
We place a strong emphasis on small groups, mentorship, and creating spaces where people can ask honest questions and experience genuine community.
We’re also known for being community-focused. From the beginning, we’ve prioritized serving tangible needs around us, partnering with local schools, supporting families in crisis, and coming alongside people who might otherwise feel overlooked. We want to be a church that’s not just present on Sundays, but meaningfully engaged throughout the week.
What I’m most proud of is the transformation we’ve seen in the lives of our people. We’ve seen individuals take real steps of faith, serve others sacrificially, and invest in relationships that are making a lasting difference. It’s not just about attendance or programs but Jesus-centered transformation.
Perhaps what sets us apart is our authenticity. We don’t have big budgets or meet in a large, fancy facility. We meet in a middle school. Every Sunday, volunteers arrive early and stay late to setup and teardown everything we need for a Sunday morning worship experience. These are ordinary people who desire to love God and love people and they show that through ordinary acts of service and hospitality. Transparency is important because Jesus didn’t die on the cross of those who have their life together. He died for imperfect people who need Him.
The truth is that Jesus didn’t come to earth in order to give us 5 steps to a happier life or 10 hacks for a better marriage. He came to die for your sins and rise again so that you might have true, abundant life.
What’s next?
Our plan is to continue serving the greater Garner area for as long as we can. We’d like to see more people participate in what God is doing at Oak Community Church. Eventually, we hope to have a permanent facility to call our own. However, for now we are content where we are.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://oakcommunity.church/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/oakcommunitychurch/?hl=en
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCAK93lLASxAze-erOroxJxA
