GC Roasters began when coffee needed to be better that what a store could offer. As effort was put in to finding a superior cup, the search led to discovering fresh coffee.

A distant roaster in Tennessee was recommended and tried and … wow! Now we’re on to something! The decision was set to get all coffee delivered, until, it was mentioned in passing that coffee could be roasted at home… game on! Research, teamed with trial and effort, and a very patient family, took us through many roasting methods until we reached the best tasting cup we could.

It was at this time that the idea of acquiring bigger and more consistent, and very expensive equipment became a family discussion. We prayed for God’s direction and then shelved the endeavor as an unnecessary burden on our incredibly busy family schedule. Now, we hadn’t received a “no” from God, and in fact, seemed to be reminded of the idea time and time again. Miraculously, Mom’s comfort gland began to embrace the risky idea of using savings to take a few steps in faith and see if going forward aligned with God’s will for our family. We even considered that should the company not succeed, we could see God working, take the lessons learned, and glorify God for the opportunity to train our children in the way they should go; meaning to seek God in all that we do, trying to be sensitive to His leading, especially when it comes to money as there is great temptation and opportunity to be trapped by dollar sign vision.

This is why we decided to name the company Great Commandment Roasters Inc. When Jesus was challenged as to which of all the religious laws was most important, He answered and said, “ ‘You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart with all your soul, and all your mind.’ This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.” As a coin has two sides, yet is one coin and one value, this pair of commandments is to be seen as one. Jesus also said, “But seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.” And in James, we are told, “ Come now, you who say, ’Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, spend a year there, buy and sell, and make a profit’; where as you don’t know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away. Instead you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we shall live and do this or that.” With this advise to guide us, we finish with our family verse from Joshua that says, “Decide for yourselves this day who you will serve…but as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD.”

And so came our company motto, Deo Volente, which means “Lord willing”. Knowing that sharing coffee is often a way that people spend time together, it seems fitting to try to provide the highest quality coffee to enjoy while living out the Great Commandment, that is, loving God with all ya got, and loving others!

It is our prayer that your are blessed beyond explanation as you are obedient to our LORD!