The story Amazing Grace Lutheran Church begins in February of 1982, when Pastor Michael Robinson of Atonement Lutheran Church of San Antonio was assigned to explore the possibility of a mission start on the far western side of San Antonio. With a few members from local congregations, planning meetings were held. After much prayer and research, the group decided to initiate a new congregation. The planning committee chose Fatso's Bar-B-Q restaurant on Culebra Road as the location for the first services. Signs were made and placed in the surrounding area, announcements were made through the local print media, and the "Northwest Mission" was born.

The first announced worship service took place on Sunday, June 13, 1982. Pastor Robinson served double duty in ministering the Northwest Mission and Atonement Lutheran of San Antonio. Not long after holding first worship services, the membership began to increase and on Sunday, July 7 of that year, the first members of the Northwest Mission were installed. The initial membership consisted of 10 families-totaling 25 people. Meeting in a barbecue restaurant was quite an experience, and one that will never be forgotten. We were “smoking” so much so, that we were dubbed “The Barbecued Lutherans" in an article in by Roddy Stinson in the San Antonio Express newspaper.

On Sunday, January 13, 1983, after much congregational deliberation, the name "Amazing Grace Lutheran Church" was chosen as the official title for the young Northwest Mission congregation. Some say it was the influence of the children that swayed the congregational vote. The children chose the name Amazing Grace partly because they could easily spell it when compared to the more complicated liturgical words that were being considered for the new church.

Worship services continued at Fatso's but the congregation was outgrowing the party room. A search for a new location was initiated, we began holding church services on October 2, 1983 in the school cafeteria and used their classrooms for Sunday School.

The congregation continued to grow and felt it was time to find a permanent location with its own Sanctuary. December 1983 the Amazing Grace congregation bought five acres of land from the Bongers Family Homestead on Potranco Road, with the expectation that construction would soon start.

On one of the coldest days of the year, January 1984, the groundbreaking ceremony was held for the first building, the Fellowship Hall (now the sanctuary). Construction began later that month. The Founding Families of Amazing Grace Lutheran Church can proudly say they built the majority of the structure themselves in 4 months of relentless work and fellowship. Only the foundation and the heating/air conditioning system were sub-contracted.

On May 6, 1984, the sound of Scottish bagpipes filled the country morning air during the dedication of Amazing Grace's first building. Shortly after the Fellowship hall was completed, it became very apparent that additional space was needed for Sunday school. Again, the congregation members came together to build a small Sunday School Building (now the youth building) to meet the needs of a growing church community. However, with its continuing growth, the congregation once again realized that additional classrooms were necessary. Construction on a two-story Sunday School Building began in 1991 and as before the congregation members stepped up to the challenge and did the work. The new Sunday School Building was dedicated on August 28, 1994. Then in 2010 the congregation realized the need for improved facilities and embarked on a full campus remodel. All three buildings were overhauled in an effort to be more welcoming to the community. This was the first building project that was contracted out.

Amazing Grace Lutheran Church has and is blessed with its pastoral leadership. On May 23, 1983, Michael Robinson was installed as our full time Pastor. Pastor Mike had served the congregation from the beginning on a part-time basis. Through his spiritual leadership, the congregation grew from the initial group of 25 to over 125 baptized members.

In February 1988, Pastor Mike was called to a church in Conroe, Texas. Pastor Fred Scheffel, the interim pastor, served from February through November and provided wonderful pastoral leadership. In November 1988, after a thorough review of our area and our needs we called Pastor Edward Kern.

Pastor Kern faithfully served Amazing Grace for 19 years until his retirement in 2008. Pastor Karl Fredrickson served as interim pastor for 8 months. After much consideration, Pastor Paul Baille was selected to serve Amazing Grace. He served well from August 2008 to February 2011. Pastor Arden Dorn will serve as our interim.

Amazing Grace actively participates by giving to ELCA functions, the San Antonio Community of Churches, Christian Assistance Ministry, San Antonio Metropolitan Ministry, Lutheran Social Services, and the sponsoring of a Mission Partner congregation. Additionally, our members generously give of their time and talent to Habitat for Humanity and by helping community neighbors in need. Amazing Grace truly is the church right in the middle of everything happening in Northwest Bexar County. We are in the fastest growing area of San Antonio.