Many students have been influenced by a secular view, influenced first by modernism and then postmodernism. This popular, yet mistaken, view rejects exclusive truth and pressures individuals to keep their faith private and separate from the ‘real world.’
We seek to help students develop a solid Biblical framework of worldview and theology so that they are confident in their faith.
Greg & Mary Jane Grooms
Meet the Directors
Greg Grooms came to Hill House in August of 1994 from Huemoz, Switzerland, after working with L'Abri Fellowship for 15 years. While studying biochemistry at Tulane University in New Orleans, he discovered his faith needed to grow if it were to survive the questions and pressures of living in the modern world. This led him to Francis and Edith Schaeffer’s study center in the Swiss Alps where the historic Christian faith of his childhood was reaffirmed and expanded to apply to all of life and culture.
Greg met and married his Canadian-born wife Mary Jane in Switzerland. They have five children, all of whom are now post college.
Mary Jane Grooms became a believer while a student at the University of Alberta in Edmonton, Canada. She realized immediately what some people never do: that conversion is more than adding a religious dimension to an otherwise unchanged life. It means changing the way you look at and think about everything. After reading the Schaeffers' books, she set aside university for a time in order to study at L’Abri. There she served as secretary to Edith Schaeffer for four years prior to marrying Greg. Mary Jane brings over three decades of experience in teaching, counseling and hospitality to her role as Co-Director of Hill House.
Greg and Mary Jane's conviction in leading Hill House is that the Bible is true and that all of life is spiritual and meant to be lived to the glory of God. It is a conviction that is reflected in Greg’s teaching. He begins with the Bible and moves to everything else, from academics to pop culture.
Incoming Director
Please join us in welcoming Bill Walker to Hill House for fall 2022. Before coming to Hill House, Bill has been serving as the Director of Vocation at Christ Church here in Austin, where he oversees several ministries in the areas of spiritual formation, faith and work, vocational discernment, and listening prayer retreats. He has previous experience in youth and campus ministry and worked as the associate pastor for three years at St. Peter’s Church in Charleston, SC. He is also a lecturer at Truett Seminary and Baylor University in theology and business ethics.
Bill received his undergraduate degree from Baylor in Economics and Spanish, a masters in theology from Truett Seminary, and a PhD from Claremont Graduate University in philosophy of religion. He has published several works in the field of theological ethics, including his 2020 book on the doctrine of salvation in the age of globalization. Bill is especially interested in Christian engagement with modern and postmodern thought. He is a certified spiritual director and is passionate about helping students understand and integrate their faith in every area of their lives.
Bill is married to Whitney, whom he met in high school here in Austin. They have three children: Liam (5), Roy (3), and Cody (1). Whitney is an interior designer and the founder of Farrington Lane, a residential design studio in Austin. Outside of his ministry and spending time with family, Bill enjoys water skiing, trail running, and exploring Central Texas.
Our Beliefs
The final authority of our beliefs is the Bible, God's infallible written Word, the sixty-six books of the Old and New Testaments. We believe that the Bible was uniquely, verbally and fully inspired by the Holy Spirit, and that it was without error in the original manuscripts. It is the supreme and final authority in all matters on which it speaks (2 Tim 3:16,17; 2 Peter 1:21; 1 Cor 2:13, 10:11; John 10:35). View the full list of our beliefs.
Our Board
Hill House is blessed to have the support of community leaders. These individuals invest their time to further our mission and shape the vision for our future.
Currently serving on the Hill House Board are: Carolyn Ahrens, Steve Collier, Peter Graves, Charles Heimsath, Barry McBee and Terri McClendon.
Where We Are Going
Since its founding in 1989, Hill House has done more than merely help students to survive their university years with their faith intact. We have sought to recover a tradition of Christian living and scholarship that takes both the Bible and contemporary culture seriously.
Ours is not a new vision. We stand in the tradition of the Reformation and of contemporary writers such as Francis Schaeffer and C.S. Lewis.
How We'll Get There
By teaching – Effective education is more than telling people what to think. It's building discernment, providing biblical tools and modeling how to use them.
By providing resources – We offer Christian scholarship, both through our library and in-person discipleship.
By counseling – When students need support, we are here.