About Hill House

Hill House first began in 1989 under a different name, the Probe Center, under the guidance of John Ratcliff. Between 1989 and 1994, Ratcliff led what was the Probe Center and began implementing the ideals and values of its community among students at UT-Austin.

In August of 1994, Greg Grooms came to the Probe Center and began operating as its executive director. Greg and his wife Mary Jane moved from Huemoz, Switzerland, after working with L'Abri Fellowship for 15 years, before relocating to Austin. Greg and Mary Jane discovered through their time at L’Abri that their faith needed to grow if it was to survive the questions and pressures of living in the modern world. Through their time at L’Abri, the historic Christian faith of their childhood was reaffirmed and expanded to apply to all of life and culture.

The Grooms grew the ministry to UT-Austin, inspired by their time in Switzerland, from 1994 to 2004, and in 2004, what was the Probe Center rebranded with the purchase of a historic property on campus, what was known as - and continues to flourish as - Hill House.

Greg and Mary Jane faithfully served at Hill House until 2022, when they passed on the baton to current executive director, Bill Walker.

Hill House has been a faithful presence to the University of Texas at Austin for over 35 years, whether known as the Probe Center or what it is today. And many students, current and from many years past, will testify to the beauty, goodness, and truth available to them at Hill House, and the deep impact that this historic home on Nueces Street has meant to them through the years.

Hill House exists to equip students and faculty to integrate their faith in academia, the workplace, and the community. We do this by:

Hill House affirms and holds fast to the fundamental Christian beliefs found in Scripture and articulated succinctly in the Apostles’ and Nicene Creeds. We are tethered to historic, traditional, orthodox doctrine and teaching, as well as to the heritage of the Protestant Reformation.  

At the same time, Hill House is a place of diverse Christian thought. In our community, you’ll find Presbyterians, Anglicans, Roman Catholics, Baptists, Methodists, non-denominational Protestants, and more. We are, however, committed to the shared pursuit of Christian truth found and embodied in Jesus Christ.

In keeping with its Christian commitment, Hill House strives to enlarge and extend conversations about God, faith, morality, meaning, and truth rather than narrow or end them. We gladly listen to and learn from those who may not share our convictions. While we have no official affiliation with the University of Texas, Hill House supports higher education, affirms critical thinking, strives to work collaboratively with UT, and seeks to promote and contribute to the intellectual life of the university community.