This story of John Turner's assuming the pastorate at Grace Baptist Church in Hampton, VA, begins with the previous pastor deciding to retire. He had pastored the church for 15 years and wanted to pave the way for a smooth transition to the next pastor. However, he didn't want the church to just hire someone different than himself; he was concerned that Grace Baptist know itself, its community, and who it needed to call. This led to him initiating a church consultation with Marshall Fant. The review provided the church with clear direction about its ministry needs, the demographic of its community, and what kind pastor would be prepared to lead it forward.