(Austell, GA) When Pastor Grant of Prayer City Eagles Chapel International Ministries picked up the phone that morning, his world had already been turned to ash. The once-vibrant 25,000-square-foot sanctuary in Austell, Georgia—his spiritual home for twenty years—had been completely destroyed by fire.
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“I just jumped out of bed and drove to the church,” Pastor Grant recalled. “I couldn’t believe the sight. The church was completely burned down into rubble.”
Yet, in the middle of the smoldering remains of what once was, something powerful still stood—his faith.
Prayer City Eagles Chapel had already faced hardship. In December 2022, freezing temperatures caused the sprinkler pipes to burst, flooding the entire building. Every piece of furniture, every children’s classroom, every inch of the sanctuary was destroyed.
But the congregation rebuilt. By late September 2025, they had completed the final phase of reconstruction—the administrative wing—ready to start a new chapter.
“Everything was new,” Pastor Grant said. “We expanded the auditorium, added new offices—it was beautiful. And to see it burned down so soon after completion was excruciating. It was painful. It was really difficult.”
The fire came just days after that milestone—before the church could even secure final insurance coverage. Now, once again, the pastor and his congregation are facing an enormous task: rebuilding from nothing.
Investigators later arrested a woman suspected of setting the fire. But Pastor Grant’s response stunned many: forgiveness.
“Nobody in their right, rational, cognitive mind would get up and burn a church,” he said. “You have to be demonized, possessed, pushed by an evil spirit. So I forgave her—wholeheartedly—because the Bible instructs us to do that.”
His message of forgiveness became a rallying cry for the congregation.
“This is the time we must show Christ in us,” he told them. “When Jesus was nailed to the cross, He prayed, ‘Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.’ If we are followers of Christ, this is the moment we have to live that truth.”
In the days following the fire, news footage showed members of Prayer City Eagles Chapel gathered in folding chairs outside the ruins of their sanctuary. Around them lay ashes and twisted metal—but above them, voices lifted in praise.
“The Bible says what the devil meant for evil, God will turn for good,” Pastor Grant said. “God could have stopped this. He could have prevented it. But He allowed it for a divine purpose. I know He has a higher plan.”
Despite losing everything, the congregation continues to worship—and to rebuild. Without insurance, they’re depending on donations from the public to restore what was lost.
“This property is worth over four million dollars,” Pastor Grant explained. “It sits on ten acres, with multiple wings and event spaces. Everything—over 20 offices, the sanctuary, the children’s area—was destroyed. But we are trusting God to touch the hearts of people who will help us rebuild.”
Even as they face the long road to restoration, Pastor Grant sees beauty rising from the ashes.
“When we talk about the church, it’s not a building,” he said softly. “The church is the people. The building can be burned down, but the church is not. This has increased our faith in God and brought us together like never before.”
To lead his people through this season, he has called for 21 days of fasting and prayer. Services will be streamed nightly from 7 to 8 p.m. on Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram.
“We’re praying for God’s guidance and for the $4 million we need to rebuild,” he said. “We know that God will do exceedingly and abundantly beyond all we can ask or think.”
Pastor Grant's voice carries both grief and resolve. But behind it all was a quiet confidence—a belief that God is still writing this story.
“What the enemy meant for destruction, God will use for His glory,” he said. “And I know beyond every reasonable doubt that we will rise again.”
See the Church come together in real time: https://gofund.me/40b56bfa6